


The Way Home

by orphan_account



Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: Adoption, Drama, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Pregnancy, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-08 18:00:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 89,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15935480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: On-set romances... they either thrive, burn brightly then die just as quickly, or end when the director calls "Cut!" for the final time. Tom Hiddleston and Rayne Ellison met on the set of Crimson Peak and began an affair that they were able to keep quiet. When filming ended, they both went their separate ways... Tom became an international film star and Rayne became one of the best in her field. Neither ever forgot the other, but when fate and a director bring them back together on a new film, will the flame that burned so brightly between them catch again, or will it die away to ashes?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I own nothing to do with Tom Hiddleston or any other celebrity mentioned in this story, only my own original characters, and story idea.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The following chapter was written by me with tongue firmly planted in cheek, and it should be taken as such: nothing more than a light-hearted poke at Hiddles... As far as I know, there is no such thing as large penis syndrome, but I would like to think if there was, there would be a support group for it.

 

Tom sighed dejectedly as he walked somewhat slowly and hesitantly behind his best friend Ben, almost like a condemned man walking to the gallows in days of old. There were few things in life that he was less excited about, and his face showed it. He'd been wearing a semi-permanent scowl since Ben had informed him that instead of going to lunch, they were going to a group therapy session.

Now, he almost found it laughable that Ben felt that they needed therapy, especially since his best friend was happily married to the love of his life, while Tom still foundered along, hopelessly alone. Sure, Tom dated, but those dates never made it farther than the first awkward fumbles on the girl du jour's sofa before he found himself headed home to an empty flat and equally empty bed.

You see, Ben and Tom, along with a few others, suffered from a physical... well for lack of a better word, malformation: Mentula Magna, or large penis syndrome. Yes, laugh all you want, but it was as serious as can be to Tom and the others. Yes, Ben was fortunate enough to find the woman for him, but it was difficult to locate someone that could handle them physically, or even wanted to for the matter. Sure, fangirls everywhere spouted about how they would love to be in Tom's bed, but when it came down to brass tacks, most just simply couldn't take it.

Tom had obviously never measured Ben's manhood but knew that he himself measured in close to ten inches soft. Add in girth and you can imagine the problems. A good rule of thumb was that a man was as long as the width between his thumb and pinkie when giving the "hang ten" hand sign, and that was also the length a woman could comfortably handle, usually. One look at Tom's enormous hands would have a thinking woman running for the proverbial hills.

As they reached their destination, Ben turned and gave Tom a reassuring smile and bolstering pat on the back as he held the door open for his friend. After walking down a long, dimly lit hallway, they entered a small room to find familiar faces, a fact that caused Tom to feel a bit of relief. He gave a genuine smile when Idris Elba stepped up to shake his hand, then Jon Hamm. Idris showed Tom and Ben where to sit and they all sat, but Tom felt his mouth drop open when a short man stepped around Jon to sit on the other side of Idris. Danny Devito lifted a brow and gave Tom a glare.

"What are you staring at, string bean?"

Tom snapped his mouth shut before stuttering out a reply. "I... I'm sorry, it's just that I never thought... it could be quite disarming to find that you're so well endowed, Mr. Devito."

Danny sized Tom up, making him squirm a bit under the older man's scrutiny. "Smile when you say that, you limey fuck." It seemed like nobody breathed for a moment and Tom felt horrid for obviously insulting such a famous man before Danny broke out with a smile and a quiet chuckle. "By the way, call me Danny, kiddo."

Everyone let out a collective breath and chuckled as Danny reached around Idris to shake Tom's hand. Tom's arm accidentally brushed against Idris's thigh and Tom shook his head in aggravation. "Fuck's sake, man! Put that thing away!"

Idris just shrugged and grinned. "Can't 'elp it, mate."

Tom just chuckles as Jon clapped his hands together once, getting their attention. "Ok! Welcome, everyone. Since Tom is the new guy, perhaps we can hear what has brought him here today."

Amid Danny's muttered, "We know why he's here, dumbass. The same reason we all are", Tom cleared his throat. 

"Well, Ben thought that this would be good for me, but I don't know... I don't see how talking about it will help me get what I need."

Jon nodded understandingly before replying. "Well, Tom, we all get together when we're all in town to talk about how our... unique predicament makes us feel, see what progress we're making in attaining our goals. Tell us, what is it that you need, as you put it?"

Tom snorted humorlessly. "The plain answer would be that I need to get laid, but the more complex answer... I suppose I need a woman to fulfill the other half of me. I've never met a woman that could get passed... " He looked down at his lap before continuing, "Anyway, I just want to be in love, and to have it returned."

Tom heard Ben laugh derisively and turned a withering glance to his best friend, who just shook his head. "That's bullocks, Tom, and you know it. You had a woman, but you let her get away from you. That's on you."

Tom's heart stopped for a second, and he knew exactly who Ben was referring to. Rayne Ellison. As Ben described her to the group and recounted their short association, Tom let his mind wander back to the first time he and Rayne were together. As always, the very thought of her simultaneously broke his heart and hardened his cock. She was the only woman that ever took all of him, and he did mean all: mind, heart, body, and soul...

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_By the time the cast left the set for the day, the rain was a steady downpour, instantly soaking through their clothes the very second they stepped out the door. Tom was laughing at a joke his co-star had told as he jogged to his trailer to change before heading to the hotel they were all staying in. He was stripping out of the sodden shirt when he heard a perfunctory knock on the trailer door, followed by a familiar voice._

_"Tom? Agnes needs your costume so she can dry everything out for... Oh! I'm sorry!"_

_Tom chuckled at her apparent surprise at finding him half-dressed, although it wasn't the first time she had seen him so. She was the wardrobe assistant after all._

_"It's fine, darling. Come in out of the rain while I change. I won't be a moment." She turned her head away to give Tom some privacy, making him chuckle harder. He walked over to her and stood close, taking one finger to turn her head back to face him. She tried to avert her eyes, blushing prettily as he bit his lip and thought about kissing that tempting mouth. "Darling, why so bashful? This isn't the first time you've seen me in this state."_

_She grinned shyly as she took a step backward, making him follow right behind her. She huffed out a breath in indignation, making him chuckle again. "We usually aren't alone when you're undressed. Agnes is always there."_

_Tom dipped his head to sniff her neck and as always he was transfixed by the unique scent she always wore. Cinnamon and vanilla, like a spicy cupcake. That scent had begun to invade his thoughts, awake and sleeping. He desperately wanted to know if she wore it everywhere. "Don't you think this is better? I've tried for weeks to get you alone, and you thwart me at every turn. I was beginning to think you didn't feel the same spark that I do."_

_She snorted out a rather unladylike laugh and shook her head. "That's not true at all. That's why I avoid you. I can't afford to have an on-set fling, especially with you."_

_Tom smiled slowly, and like a shark catching the scent of blood in the water, he nudged her backward until her back landed gently against the wall. "What do you mean, especially me? Do you not like me, Rayne?"_

_"I... yes, of course, I like you. It's just... "_

_He hid his face as his smile got bigger, preferring to nuzzle the spot where her neck joined her shoulder. Of course, he knew her reason for resistance where he was concerned. He'd heard the good-natured teasing that went on behind the scenes, and Tom knew that she'd had a fangirl crush on him for a long while._

_"Well then, darling Rayne, I see no reason for avoidance. I want you, you want me... what's the issue? What's wrong with us finding pleasure in each other's arms?"_

_He knew he'd won the battle when she moaned low in her throat and her arms came up around his neck, anchoring herself to him. He was just about to find out what she tasted like when the walkie-talkie that was attached to the waistband of her jeans screeched to life and they both heard Agnes on the other end._

_"Rayne, what's taking you so long? Get Tom's things and bring them here, please. Goodness, girl, don't you want to be done for the day?"_

_Tom snickered when he heard Rayne's groan of disappointment. "I'll be there directly, Agnes. I'm waiting for him to change out of his costume."_

_With a smile and a wink, Tom backed up a few steps and reached for the belt at his waist. She watched with rapt attention as he slowly unbuckled the belt then released the button and zip before letting the trousers fall down his legs. He stepped out of the clothing and handed it to her, fully aware of the fact that he had forgotten to put on pants this morning when getting dressed. He heard her gasp and watched as she slowly took in the sight of all of him, paying particular attention to a certain part of his anatomy. Tom was nearly done in when she slowly licked her lips, reaching out with a shaky hand for the trousers he was holding out to her, her eyes never leaving his cock. Where he might have expected to see shock or even dismay, all he saw was a stark desire shining in her eyes before she regained control of herself._

_As she grasped the trousers, he grabbed her hand and squeezed lightly, bringing her attention back to his face. "Room 403... if you're interested."_

_She gave a slight nod of her head before stepping around him to the door. Tom watched as she bit her lip and had to hold himself back from pulling it out of her teeth and biting it himself. Now he would wait and see if Miss Rayne had a little adventure in her._

_\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Three hours later, Tom was lying on the bed in his hotel room, wishing that he knew what was going through Rayne's head right then. He'd wanted her from the first time she walked into the wardrobe trailer, and he knew she'd wanted him. Some call it cockiness or brashness, but Tom was confident enough in himself to know when a woman desired him, and Rayne did, he was sure of it._

_Just when his mind had turned to the dark side and he was doubting his ability to read people, there was a knock on his door and Tom stumbled to his feet and practically ran to answer it. He swung the door open to see Rayne with her fist raised to knock again, a startled look on her face as if she didn't really expect him to open the door. He gave her a slow smile and stepped back for her to enter. As she walked by him, he took a deep breath, inhaling that intoxicating scent that just followed her everywhere she went. Tom closed and locked the door behind her before following at a slower pace to the sofa. He motioned toward it with one hand as he rubbed his neck with the other, chuckling quietly._

_"I didn't think you were going to show, darling."_

_She sighed as she sat down. "I wasn't going to, but then... "_

_He sat down beside her, turning his upper body to face her. "What happened? What changed your mind?"_

_She looked down where her hands were folded in her lap and shook her head slightly, quietly laughing to herself. "I thought about it, talked myself out of it... but then... I thought, I will never forgive myself if I let this chance slip by."_

_He reached over and wrapped his fingers around the nape of her neck, kneading the tight muscles he found there. "I'm glad." He squeezed her neck gently and grinned at her, lifting a brow. "Now, I think you should kiss me, Rayne."_

_She bit that plump lower lip one more time as she leaned into him, letting her hands rest on his chest as she barely brushed her lips against his. Tom let her have the lead for a moment more, which was honestly a moment more than he could take, before pulling her into his lap and deepening the kiss to a chorus of moans and whimpers from his girl. She put her hands around his neck and lifted herself to straddle his hips, forcing his growing hard-on up into her heat. Tom groaned as he felt her all around him, breathing in the scent of her perfume mixing with her growing desire for him. He licked that lip that kept him awake at night, asking for permission to enter the sweet heaven of her mouth. Rayne opened up just enough for him to slide his tongue in, giving him his first taste of the nirvana that was Rayne. He swallowed down a whimper at just how perfect the moment was, how right it felt with her in his arms at long last._

_Tom lifted his lips from hers just long enough to tug her t-shirt over her head and throw it to the floor. He tried to claim her mouth once more but Rayne put her hands on each side of his face to hold him back._

_"Tom, wait... "_

_With a growing sense of impending doom, Tom let his head fall back against the sofa cushion and closed his eyes. He knew what was coming, of course. This was the point in the evening when everything tended to go pear-shaped. He was sure she'd had a change of heart and wanted to go. He sighed and opened his eyes to gaze sadly at her._

_"I understand, darling. Put your top back on and I'll walk you to your room."_

_Instead of standing up to go, Rayne looked at him and gave him the sweetest smile he'd ever seen. She leaned in and pecked his lips quickly before turning serious. "Tom, wait a minute. All I was going to say was that this time, at least, let me take the lead." She looked down at his lap at his rather large bulge and gave a saucy grin. "I feel like it will be more comfortable for me if I have control of how fast we go. You know what I mean?" She winked, then held up a hand in a "hang ten" gesture. "You know, they say a man is as big as the space between his thumb and pinkie finger, while that's how much a woman can comfortably take. I may be small in stature, but I'm tough. Good thing I have big hands, huh?"_

_Tom sat back and stared at her, gobsmacked and more than a little delighted at the audacity of his pint-sized, would-be lover. "You're sure, darling? I mean, I'll understand if you want to back out or... "_

_She chuckled wickedly at the same time she was grinding down with her crotch into his and he almost screamed like a little girl. "Are you kidding? I've wanted you since the first day we met, Tom. I'm not crying foul now."_

_Before he could offer her any more outs, she leaned in and sealed her lips to his, and he was gone. He forgot all about wanting to take her back to her room. All he could think of now is that he needed to be inside her soon or he might very well die. Tom realized that he was whimpering as her tongue invaded the confines of his mouth, but he couldn't have cared less about being manly at that moment. His shaky hands were busy trying to rid her of the tightest jeans he'd ever seen while his mouth reveled in hers. She finally broke the kiss to stand up in front of him and peel her jeans down her legs, taking the black lace panties she was wearing with them. As she reached behind her to unclasp her bra, he was already shucking his own jeans and waiting impatiently for her to join him again._

_She slid into his lap, her breasts already captured by his wandering hands as she pressed her hot, wet slit against his impossibly hard and throbbing cock, rubbing up and down. She leaned over him to take his mouth in a searing kiss before sitting back up to rock against him. She watched his face closely as she moved against him until he could take no more and threw his head back in utter frustration. What she was doing felt so good, but he knew that what awaited him inside her was so much better._

_"Baby, please... "_

_Tom opened his eyes to see her nod her head, her own eyes closed against the sensations that were bombarding her as well. She braced her hands on his shoulders, lifting herself over his now-painful member, then lowering herself slowly down onto him, making him see stars. He'd never felt anything this good in his life, nor did he think he'd ever be able to duplicate it. Rayne was like a hot velvet glove, slowly sheathing him in her tight channel. He could feel her throbbing from the inside, answering his own beat, and it made him catch his breath. He gripped her thighs tightly in both hands, not wanting to put them on her hips in fear that he would then force her to take him faster than she was ready. He could see her eyes tightly shut, concentrating as she was on the task at hand and it made him smile even amidst the insanity._

_"Rayne, open your eyes and look at me, darling." She did so and he leaned in and kissed her on the nose. "That's it, baby. Relax and take your time. We've got all night. Talk to me, baby, tell me what you're feeling."_

_He needed to know that she wasn't uncomfortable. As much as he wanted this, he would stop this in a quick second if he was hurting her. He watched as her eyes popped open and the look in them took his breath away. Her cheeks were flushed and the pure lust he saw in her eyes made him want to claim her as his._

_"Tom... oh my god, I feel so full... ohhhh... almost there... "_

_He looked down and indeed she was right. She'd almost taken all of him in and he looked back into her eyes with concern. "Darling, you don't have to go all the way... "_

_She laid a hand over his mouth as she sank onto him to the hilt. "Shut up, Tom. Let me fuck you my way."_

_He kissed the palm of her hand as her forehead came forward to rest against his. She gave him a saucy wink, took a deep breath and rotated her hips, making Tom's eyes roll back in his head. They lost themselves in the dance of lovemaking, his thrust and parry, her twist and grind, all coming together for a crescendo sure to leave them both breathless and lax._

_He lost track of how many times he made her come before he joined her, shouting her name as his world shattered around him. he slowly came back to himself to find her draped over him, her head on his shoulder. Tom chuckled softly, deciding to sit still until the feeling came back into his lower body before lifting her and carrying her into the bathroom for a quick clean up. It wasn't until he laid her in the bed and tucked the covers around both of them that she roused enough to speak. He stroked her hair and kissed her gently, smiling tiredly._

_"Are you ok, darling? No pain or discomfort?"_

_Rayne shook her head around a yawn. "Not anything abnormal, no." She grinned at him and winked. "You're not that big, you know. I mean, have you seen Jon Hamm?!"_

_They laughed uproariously before drifting off to sleep._

_\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

It wasn't until after the meeting was over and Ben and Tom were walking back to Tom's house that he acknowledged what Ben had said earlier about Rayne.

"I know I fucked up with Rayne, you know. I was a right tit, and she was right to never speak to me again."

He heard Ben sigh before he shook his head. "No, there were mistakes on both sides of that equation, I'm afraid. She wanted more than you were ready to give and wouldn't compromise."

Tom nodded, giving Ben a small smile. "Well, I know one thing. If I'm ever in that position again with Rayne Ellison, I won't let her get away from me. Not again."


	2. The Winner Takes It All

 

"Ms. Ellison, there are some questions about the wardrobe designs."

Rayne shook her head in frustration as her assistant informed her of some problems during pre-production. Infinity Wars was turning into one gigantic pain in her ass, one that she just didn't have time for right now.

"What's the problem? The designs are what Disney approved. Did you explain that?"

Rayne heard her assistant sigh and couldn't help but grin. Hell, if she had to have a headache, Melanie might as well have one too. "Yes, ma'am, I did, but there are some arguments... in a nutshell, they are requesting a meeting with you."

Rayne rubbed the area between her eyes. "I don't have time for this bullshit, Mel, I really don't! Tell the Russos that... "

"It's not just the Russos requesting the meeting, Rayne. It's Tom Hiddleston. He has some questions about Loki's wardrobe and wants to meet with the head designer before filming starts. That would be you."

Rayne heard Agnes snort in humor from the couch in the corner of her office but ignored the old woman that was so much like a mother to her. She suddenly wished she hadn't put the call on speaker. "I'll be there in a week. Is that early enough for the prima donna or do I need to make a special trip, for god's sake?"

She hung up before Mel had a chance to answer, taking her head in her hands and groaning. She heard Agnes get up and walk over to sit in the chair across from Rayne's desk. "Did you really think you'd get away with not seeing him? You have to fit him, for goodness sake."

Rayne shook her head. "I was going to let Mel handle him. Now, I don't... what do I do, Agnes?"

Agnes shook her head at her protege. "You deal with him, that's what you do. You yourself keep saying that you're over him. Prove it."

"There's nothing wrong with the sketches for Loki's costumes, Agnes. I went strictly by the guidelines laid out by Disney on what they wanted. I can't change them just because the MCU and one Tom Hiddleston think they're in charge."

Agnes reached over and patted her hand. "I know that so now you just have to convince them of that. It will be fine, you'll see." She grinned at Rayne and winked. "And if by chance you aren't over him... what's the harm in a shag or two while you're there?"

Rayne rolled her eyes at the other woman's bawdy sense of humor. "Believe me, Tom Hiddleston isn't interested in me that way. Not anymore." She shook her head. "No, I'm afraid that ship not only sailed but sunk just off the coast a long time ago."

Agnes just shook her head and stood to leave. "Well, you say that, but you really don't know, do you? Let nature take its course, Ray."

Rayne snorted and shook her head again. "Hey, he broke it off with me, remember? It's what he wanted."

Agnes shrugged as she opened Rayne's office door. "Sometimes we all do things that, at the time, seem like the right idea, but really they're nowhere near where fate wants us to go." She winked at the young woman who was so much like her daughter. "See what happens, and don't be too bitchy to him. He may regret past decisions."

Agnes shut the door behind herself, leaving Rayne with her worst enemy: her memories. She shut her eyes and groaned again as she was catapulted back in time to when everything made sense and she was in love with an Englishman.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom stopped pacing as the door opened and the wardrobe assistant came back into the conference room. Joe Russo hung up from the call he was on as the shy young woman sat back down, her back ramrod straight as if she was facing a firing squad. Tom suppressed a grin, knowing that feeling all too well, and feeling bad that he was in part responsible for her nerves. The girl cleared her throat and managed to achieve a certain tone of authority as she relayed what her boss had told her.

"My boss has requested that I inform you that she will be here in a week, and will set aside time to meet with all of you and iron out any last minute details that need to be handled."

Tom breathed a sigh of relief and leaned forward toward the young woman, smiling at her in an almost fatherly way. "I'm not trying to be difficult, Ms. Jones, really I'm not. It's just that Loki's fans expect a certain... look, I suppose is the best word. You do understand where I'm coming from, yeah?"

He saw the girl nod, but before she could reply, Anthony Russo was stepping into the conversation. 

"It's not just Loki that we have questions about. It's Spiderman and Iron Man as well. The designs seem a bit off, that's all. I'm sure it can be worked through."

Ms. Jones nodded quickly, standing up to gather her things. "Yes, sir. I'll make sure Ms. Ellison is made aware of that, as well as Mr. Hiddleston's concerns."

Tom felt like someone suddenly doused him with ice water. He slowly stood up, holding out a hand to stop the girl from leaving. "Wait! Ellison... would that be Rayne Ellison?"

Ms. Jones nodded and smiled. "Yes, sir. She'll be in town in a week. She'll deal with all of you then. Have a good day, gentlemen."

She left, followed shortly by both Russos, leaving Tom by himself at the huge table, his head in his shaking hands. He tried to grasp what had just happened as a smile started to break over his startled face. He pawed through his pockets until he found his mobile, quickly hitting a speed dial button and impatiently waiting for the call to connect. 

"Tom! Enjoying New York, mate?"

"Ben, you'll never guess who is working on Infinity Wars as the head of wardrobe."

"Hmmm, well, let's see. Is it the same guy that did Thor: Ragnarok? He was pretty good at his job... "

Tom cut him off, unable to keep the jubilation from his voice. "No! Rayne Ellison, Ben! Rayne is the lead on this one."

He heard Ben start laughing and let him go until the other man could control himself again, smiling smugly on his end of the conversation. "Bloody hell, Tom! One of these days you're going to have to fill me in on how you continue to be so fucking lucky."

Tom chuckled. "I don't know myself, but I do know one thing. We'll finally be able to get things straightened out between us." He paused before continuing in a more subdued tone. "This is a new start, Ben. I get a second chance."

Ben cleared his throat before answering his best friend. "Yes, Tom, but what if she's involved with someone? Three years is a long time, mate. Hell, she could be married with children by now for all you know."

Tom sighed as he ran a hand over the back of his neck. Leave it to Ben to rain on his parade. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Well, if she is, then we can at least clear the air and part friends, though it's not like we haven't kept in touch from time to time, and she's never mentioned another man. But if she's single... well, she won't be for long."


	3. Blast From The Past

 

Rayne was checking to make sure she had everything when she heard the doorbell ring. Thinking that it was the driver, she opened the door to find Agnes on the other side with an overnight bag. Rayne just stared at the old woman as she sailed past her and into her entry hall.

"What are you doing?"

Agnes arched a brow and put a hand on her hip. "If you think I'm missing the look on your face when you see him again, you're batshit crazy."

Rayne growled under her breath as she shook her head. "I'm going to be there for one day. Long enough for the meeting, and catching a plane back home. There is absolutely no reason for you to go with me."

Agnes shrugged and parked her bag beside Rayne's on the floor. "I don't care. I'm bored and I want some entertainment. This should do me for a while."

The doorbell rang and Rayne went to answer it, finding the driver this time. He took their bags as Rayne checked to make sure she had everything. "You're incorrigible."

Agnes shrugged as she preceded Rayne out the door and waited for her to lock up. "You say potato, I say, hot British dude... anyway, what's your game plan?"

Rayne couldn't help but chuckle as they get off the elevator and walked through the lobby out to the car. "My game plan is quite simple. I'm going to get on a plane at LAX, land at LaGuardia, go to the meeting, get back on a plane at LaGuardia, land at LAX,  and come home."

Agnes snorted as the car pulled away from the curb in front of Rayne's building. "You, young lady, are zero fun. What if the English stud muffin asks you out? We could extend our stay, see some sights. That way, if he wants to invite you, say, out to dinner or to a movie, you'd be free."

Rayne shook her head and wondered to herself, not for the first time, how this woman was the same one that taught her everything she knew about costumes. "He's not going to ask me out. He broke up with me, remember? Besides, this is a business meeting. You remember what those are, right? I don't have time to extend my stay so you can sight-see and he's hardly going to jump across the conference table and declare his undying love to me. How old are you, twelve?"

Agnes smacked Rayne on the arm and chortled. "I'm seventy-two, thank you, and wouldn't it be a hoot if he did just that? That would certainly get your attention." She patted her blue-rinsed hair and sighed. "I tell you, if I were younger... well, you just never mind what I'd do if I were younger. Honey, you need to learn to live your life and not let it live you. There's more going on out there than meetings and movie sets. The parade's passing you by and you don't even realize it. When's the last time you went out with a man?"

Rayne turned to Agnes with a raised eyebrow. "You know, ever since you had that stroke a year ago, you just have no filter, and the last time I went out with a man was two years ago, and look where that got me."

Agnes snorted as she watched the passing scenery through the car window. "Filters are for sissies."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ms. Ellison, they're waiting for us in the conference room."

Rayne gave Melanie a reassuring smile as the three women walked down the hallway to the meeting. She turned to her other side to give Agnes a measured look.

"You behave yourself in here, do you hear me? Don't embarrass me in front of everyone."

Agnes snickered before nodding her head. "I hear you, honey, but usually you embarrass yourself. I just egg you on. That's my job."

Rayne was muttering under her breath as Melanie opened the office door and they marched into the room. Her eyes inevitably zeroed in on Tom before anyone else, a fact that she found equal parts annoying and disconcerting. He was on his feet with the other two men as the women approached the table. Rayne tried not to stare but found it hard. He looked so damn good and it had been a long time since she was in the same room with him. 

She watched as his eyes lit on her briefly, bringing with them a tentative smile before moving to Agnes and lighting up with genuine fondness. "Agnes! Oh my, I didn't think I would get to see you again! How are you, darling?"

Agnes giggled like a schoolgirl as everyone was introduced, moving to sit beside Tom as everyone got settled. "I'm wonderful Tom, how are you? My, aren't you still the handsome devil?"

Rayne cleared her throat and smiled politely at the Russos. "If we could get started?"

They both nodded and soon, Rayne was in the midst of arguing over costume designs.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne almost made it to the car before she heard Tom calling her name. She winced as Agnes let out a knowing snicker, making Rayne shoot her a dirty look as she turned to the Brit jogging in her direction.

"Rayne! Darling, I thought perhaps we could have dinner, catch up. It's been a long time and I think we have things to discuss."

Rayne lifted an eyebrow as Agnes growled softly at her in warning to behave herself. "Really? I don't think we have anything to discuss. I really need to get going if I'm going to catch my plane. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to catch up once the fittings and filming start." She held a hand out to a frustrated-looking Tom. "It's been wonderful seeing you again, Mr. Hiddleston."

Agnes stuck her head in between the two, ignoring the way Rayne was glaring at her. "I want to see a show, but she won't take me. I ask you, is that any way to treat the woman who mentored her all those years?"

Rayne watched as Tom tried hard to not laugh at the older woman, instead keeping a straight face as he nodded in complete understanding. "Oh my, that is horrid! I would love to take you to a show. What would you like to see? Perhaps Rayne would join us."

Agnes's face lit up like a toddler at Christmas. "I want to see Kinky Boots!" She turned to Rayne with a gleam in her eye. "Doesn't Kinky Boots sound like a great time?"

Rayne rolled her eyes as Tom jumped on the suggestion. "I'll have Luke get all of our tickets."

He pulled his phone out as Rayne cut in, finally having enough. "I'm sorry, but I can't make it. You're certainly free to take Agnes though. Do try to have her on a plane in the next day or two, won't you? I'll warn you, she snores and she's lactose intolerant, but that shouldn't be a problem. Have fun!"

Before either Tom or Agnes could say a word, Rayne jumped into the waiting car and told the driver to step on it. She smirked as she looked out the back window at a pissed off Agnes and a confused Tom.


	4. Five Star Cheeseburgers

 

Tom laughed at Agnes as they exited Per Se and walked to where the car waited for them. They had a wonderful evening at the theater, then dinner and Tom was pleased to find that she was the same as she had been two years before. Full of vim and vigor, Agnes was a lovely companion for the evening, since he couldn't be with the one he wanted. Tom stopped just before they reached the car, a frown marring his handsome face as he thought about what to do next. He scratched his head and glanced at a chuckling Agnes.

"I'm afraid I don't quite know what to do with you, darling. I mean, I'm not sure... do I get you a hotel for the night, or see what flights are available? I'm at a loss... "

Agnes laughed as she laced her arm through Tom's and pulled him toward the car. "Don't you worry about a thing, honey. I know exactly what to do, but I do appreciate you trying to be a gentleman about it." As the driver opened the car door, Agness patted the young man on the cheek and smiled. "The Four Seasons, dearie."

Tom looked relieved as they settled into the backseat and waited for the driver to pull away from the curb. "I suppose that does make more sense. A hotel room for the night, then in the morning, I'll have Luke book you a flight back to L.A."

Agnes just shook her head and said nothing more for a few minutes as they pulled into traffic. Finally, she sighed and turned in the seat to look at her date for the evening. "I enjoyed tonight, Tom, but that doesn't change anything. I should be angry with you for how you did my girl, but I just can't look at that face and stay mad. Your only hope is that Rayne will feel the same way."

Tom shook his head and looked dismally out the car window before turning back to the older woman. "After the reception I got this afternoon, I can't hope for that."

Agnes snorted in amusement. "That was nothing, just her way of getting breathing room. Regrouping if you will. I have a feeling from the way you stared at her today, that you've had a change of heart about how you treated her."

Tom nodded earnestly, staring at Agnes with sad eyes. "I was an absolute bastard to her, and I know it... well, now I do. It took me a while to realize that I walked away from the one woman who ever loved me for just me, not what I could do for her career. If she'll let me close again, I'd like a second chance with her. Tell me about her: is she seeing anyone? How did she get to be the head wardrobe designer?"

Agnes chuckled as she took Tom's hand in hers and squeezed softly. "Well, let's see. I don't think there's been anyone serious since the two of you, not that I would automatically know mind you. It's just that... I know how she acted with you, and she hasn't been that way with anyone else. As for how she got to be where she is, well that's simple. About a year ago, I had a stroke. A pretty serious one. I knew that I'd never be back up to snuff, so I stepped aside and gave the company to Rayne. She was ready, had been for a while, but I was stubborn and thought I could handle it all by myself. I found out the hard way that I couldn't."

Tom squeezed Agnes's hand and looked at her seriously. "I'm so sorry, darling."

Anges waved him off with a smile and a wink. "Ah, it's nothing. I just had to slow down... a lot. Nowadays, I pretty much sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labors. I occasionally help with a movie here and there, but mostly I just like to be a thorn in Ray's side. It keeps me entertained." 

Tom laughed as they slowed to a stop along the curb in front of The Four Seasons Hotel. He helped Agnes out and she took his arm to walk inside. They headed to the front desk and Tom waved to get the attention of the young girl at the reception desk. "We'll have you a room in no time, Agnes."

Agnes just laughed and waved Tom off, turning to the young girl with a smile. "Rayne Ellison's room number, please." She laughed out loud at Tom's gobsmacked expression, smacking him on the arm. "What? Did you actually think she would leave me in New York by myself? Son, what you don't know about that girl is a lot."

The girl returned shortly with the information and a room key, which she handed to Tom. He shook his head as they walked toward the bank of elevators. "I thought for sure... how did you know she'd be here, of all places?"

"She always stays at The Four Seasons when she's in New York. That was a no-brainer."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne looked up from the movie she had been watching when the hotel suite door opened and Agnes walked in followed by a confused-looking Tom. She grinned at the old woman as she walked by her to hang her coat up.

"How was  _Kinky Boots_?"

Agnes shrugged as she took Tom's jacket and hung it beside her own. "It was pretty good. Dinner, though... that was amazing."

Rayne nodded, watching Tom from the corner of her eye as he sat a little closer to her than her heart rate was comfortable with on the couch. "Where did you go?"

She heard Agnes, who is now in the bathroom rummaging in the drawers, say something which Tom interpreted to mean he should answer. "We went to Per Se."

Rayne whistled through her teeth, making Tom chuckle. "Fancy."

They both heard Agnes shout from the open door of the ensuite. "Did you eat?"

Rayne nodded, trying to ignore the way Tom was looking at her, almost like she was dessert. "Uhhh, yeah. I had a Big Mac and shake."

Tom snickered. "Darling, you're in New York City, surrounded by five-star restaurants, and you decide to go to McDonald's?"

Rayne shrugged, fighting the urge to smile at him. "Well, when you're in the mood for a burger and fries, you don't really worry too much about the Michelin rating."

Tom laughed, leaning a little closer to her. "I suppose you're right. So, I thought you were heading back home?"

Rayne did grin then, an impish one that went straight to Tom's head. "Well, you see... Agnes is kind of like a pet that isn't quite house-trained. You know the kind... you're scared to death to leave them unattended for long in a strange place."

"I heard that, you brat!"

Rayne snorted out a laugh, then sobered as she realized that she was sitting and laughing with the man that broke up with her two years ago. What the heck was wrong with her?! She straightened her back a little as Tom leaned in even closer to her.

"Rayne, I was hoping that we could talk... just the two of us."


	5. Please Stand By

 

Before Rayne could reply that she saw no reason for them to have a chat of any kind, Agnes walked up behind the couch and pulled Rayne's head back by the hair to give her a smacking kiss on the forehead. She patted Tom on the shoulder, then started towards the bedroom.

"You two should definitely chat. I'm putting these old bones to bed. Goodnight, children!"

Tom grinned as the bedroom door shut with a slam, leaving the two of them alone. Rayne sighed before shaking her head. "I just don't know what you think we need to talk about. I mean, you broke it off with me. That was pretty clear."

Tom gave an answering sigh as he sat forward on the couch, arms resting on his thighs with hands clasped in front of him. "I know, and I was a bastard about it. I admit that and apologize for it."

"Tom, I don't hold any hard feelings toward you, if that's what you're thinking. I've come to realize that you just weren't ready for what I was wanting. It happens."

Rayne watched him nod before reaching up to run a hand through his own hair. "You're right, Rayne. I wasn't ready then. I was just gaining popularity with Loki, my fans were climbing in numbers... I just thought I had plenty of time to become serious with someone. I was having too much fun and let the interest go to my head." He stopped and sighed again before continuing. "I realize now, after all the failed relationships, that what I've been searching for was there, and I threw it away. I threw us away." When Tom turned his head to look at her, Rayne could see the sadness in his eyes and it made her stomach twist. "The chemistry we had, darling... I don't think that was a mistake or a fluke. I haven't had that with any... tell me, are you seeing anyone right now?"

Rayne hesitantly shook her head at the sudden change of subject. "No... I was, but it just wasn't working out."

Tom took her hand gently in his turning it over to run a finger over the lifeline in her palm as he spoke again quietly. "I don't think that's a coincidence. Neither of us has been able to find someone else to be happy with." He sighed again before giving her hand a small squeeze. "I know I was a right prick, and I have no right to ask for or expect it, but I would like a second chance. A chance to prove to you that we belong together. A fresh start."

Rayne looked at him for a long moment before shaking her head. "Tom, I don't know. I mean, the past is just that, and perhaps we're meant to learn from it and move on."

Tom sat quietly for a while before finally nodding and standing up. "Will you at least think about it? I'll understand if ultimately you decide that you can't find it in you to try, but please, just give it some thought before you make up your mind." He leaned down and kissed Rayne on the cheek before giving her a small smile. "I'll see you when we start fittings, yes? Have a safe flight home."

He let himself out of the suite, leaving Rayne with her thoughts. She got up to fix herself a drink, smiling wryly when she saw that the whiskey on offer was Jameson, Tom's favorite. She sipped the imported Irish whiskey as she made her way back to the sofa, hearing movement coming from the bedroom. Soon, Agnes was walking back out and came to sit where Tom had been.

"How much did you hear?"

Agnes grinned as she took Rayne's glass and helped herself to a healthy swig. "Almost all of it. You know my hearing is excellent."

Rayne chuckled before shaking her head. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Agnes shrugged as she put her feet up on the coffee table. "I suppose you could give him a second chance. What's it going to hurt?"

Rayne blew out a breath she had been holding and gave Agnes a side eye. "Oh, nothing much, just my heart." She shook her head. "What if he's wrong? What if it's not fate that we belong together? What if he's romanticizing our prior relationship?"

Agnes lifted a brow. "Is he? Do you remember it the way he does? Sounds like he thought it was something special."

Rayne was quiet for a moment before answering. "It was special, or I thought it was. Then he left, and it wasn't."

Agnes patted her on the knee and stood up. "Well, my dear, you have something to think about then, don't you? Try for happiness or let it pass you by." She got to the hall before turning to lean against the wall. "Did I ever tell you about the time I had an affair with an actor on a movie shoot? I won't name names, but the scenario was much like yours and Tom's. He was the love of my life, but by the time he realized I was what he wanted, it was too late for us. I had already met my Charlie." Agnes held a hand to her heart for a moment and closed her eyes as if remembering either something very painful or something to be treasured. She opened her eyes again and Rayne could see the tears shining in them. "Don't lose him if you can save it. He's either worth fighting for or not, but you won't know unless you see it through to the end."

She went into the bedroom, leaving Rayne with quite possibly the biggest decision of her life.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_One Month Later_

Tom was standing chatting with Ben and Robert when he saw Rayne come through the doors. They were all there to start fittings for their costumes, and as always, he felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of her. She seemed to zero in on him, ignoring all the others as she made a path straight for him. She stopped in front of him and held out her hand with a small nod and an almost imperceptible wink of her hazel eye. He grasped her small hand in his large one, feeling the connection automatically as if the air was suddenly charged with energy that only the two of them could feel.

"Mr. Hiddleston, a pleasure to meet you. I've heard nothing but good things about you. I'm excited about this opportunity."

He grinned slowly, hearing Ben chuckle quietly beside him as he squeezed her hand. "Ms. Ellison, a pleasure to meet you as well. I'm sure we'll hit it off splendidly."

Rayne gave him a small smile and in that instant, he realized what stood before him. His second chance.


	6. Measurings And Coffee

 

Rayne sighed tiredly and ran her fingers through her hair as Benedict Cumberbatch left the fitting room. She'd been at it all day and still had quite a few heroes to fit before she could start costumes. Agnes frowned as she poked her head in the door.

"Have you eaten yet? Nevermind, don't answer that. I know you haven't left this room all day. You need to take a break soon."

Rayne just nodded absently as she looked at her list of actors, seeing that Tom was next. "I have two more for today, then I'll be finished. I'll eat then."

Agnes just sighed and shook her head before leaving Rayne alone. If she were honest, Rayne loved this part of the process. The hands-on part, taking a costume from initial fittings to the finished product, almost all done by her hand. Of course, others would work on the extras and the smaller parts, but Rayne handled the stars almost exclusively. Agnes helped from time to time with the sewing, but her hands wouldn't let her do the fittings anymore.

There was a knock on the door before it opened to reveal Tom walking through and closing it behind himself. He gave her a smile and she grinned back before nodding at him.

"If you'll strip down to your boxers, we'll get started." 

He chuckled and Rayne mentally slapped herself. Yeah, she remembered that he wore boxers, but he didn't need to know that. Her mind had been taking her on a few trips down memory lane lately, and it was starting to work on her nerves a bit. She heard a throat clear and looked up to see Tom standing before her in just his boxers. It took her a moment to catch her breath at the sight of the body that she knew so intimately, but she did, nodding to herself as she removed one of the many tape measures from around her neck.

"Arms outstretched please." 

Tom did as she requested, frowning slightly. As she started measuring his arms from shoulder to wrist, then fingertip, stopping to write the numbers down, he spoke softly.

"Darling, you look done in. Do you have to do everyone in one day?"

Rayne grinned and shook her head as she measured his bicep. "No, but I like to get a jump on things, so I've done quite a few today. I just have you and Robert left, then I'll be done for the evening."

"Rayne, you have assistants. They should be doing some of this as well."

She nodded as she stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around his back to bring the tape measure around his chest. "You're right. Ordinarily, they would be, but I am just enough of a control freak that I don't trust anyone's measurements but my own." She shrugged before moving the tape down to his waist. "I'd just be double-checking their work anyway, so why not just do it myself in the first place?"

Tom just smiled wryly as she knelt in front of him to measure his legs and inseam. Rayne blew out a breath as Tom sucked one in, her fingers grazing his thigh as she wrapped the tape around it. She frowned a bit before glancing up at him. "You've gotten bigger."

Tom didn't hide his amusement as he grinned down at her. "You never complained before, darling."

Rayne snorted out a laugh and shook her head. "That's not what I meant. Your thighs are more defined. Running a lot?"

Tom nodded. "Yes. Lately, I've had some excess... energy to run off."

Rayne said nothing, just grinned to herself as she lifted the tape to measure his inseam. She heard Tom make a choking noise as her fingers accidentally brushed against his sack. She quickly got the measurement before moving on, causing Tom to breathe an audible sigh of relief. Soon, she was done with him and allowed him to get dressed. 

When finished, he started for the door, but stopped halfway there and turned back to her. "Would you like to get a coffee when you're through for the day? I've heard that's a proper first date these days."

She grinned and shook her head, causing him to frown at her. "I've made it a rule not to date anyone on the film that I'm working on. Lessons learned and all of that."

Tom looked at the floor for a moment before bringing his eyes back to hers. He had a gleam in them, and Rayne groaned internally, knowing that he had just taken what she said as a challenge rather than a refusal. "So... you won't go out with me until we're finished filming."

She nodded quickly, relieved that he understood. "Yes, that's exactly right."

He moved closer to her and her heart rate plummeted as he leaned in to speak quietly. "Well, darling, we aren't filming yet. I realize you've started your process, but... " He leaned even closer, and Rayne could feel his breath against her cheek as he whispered in her ear. "This is fair warning. I will try every way I know of to get around these rules of yours, darling. I am sure that we will both be much happier when I succeed."

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left her there, trying to breathe normally. As the door shut quietly behind him, Rayne sank down into a chair and thought that it wasn't every day that you threw down the gauntlet, rather intentionally or not, in front of the God Of Mischief.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom found Ben in the commissary and joined him at a table. Ben took one look at Tom's face and started chuckling. "I wondered if you would survive being that close to her."

Tom shook his head at his best friend and laughed quietly. "It took everything I had, mate, I can assure you of that." He frowned down at the table for a moment before speaking again. "She says that she won't date me until after filming is over."

Ben lifted one brow at that information. "Well, I'm sure that won't slow you down for long."

Tom grinned as an idea began to form. "No, mate, it won't. As a matter of fact, I think I found a loophole."

They sat and chatted for a bit, Ben telling Tom about something his wife, Anna, had done that was hilarious. Tom looked down at his watch every so often, silently calculating how long it would take for Rayne to measure Robert. When he thought she should be almost through, he stood up, bidding Ben farewell for the evening. He quickly made his way to the barista, where he purchased two coffees, then headed back from where he had come from.

He knocked on the door and opened it slightly before calling out. "Everyone decent in here?"

He heard Robert laugh. "Well, as decent as we ever are, sure."

He chuckled as he walked into the room, seeing Robert pulling his shirt back over his head as Rayne sat at a desk in the corner, writing down figures. He held out the coffee and grinned.

"I come bearing drinks."

He watched as Rayne looked up and bit her lip, prepared to tell him, no, but something changes her mind, be it the look on his face or the smell of the coffee. "That sounds amazing actually."

He smiled as he handed her a cup, before chuckling. When she had taken the first sip, he smiled and tipped his head at her. "Well, now we've had our first date."

Rayne looked shocked as Robert laughed out loud, slapping Tom on the back. She sputtered out a denial as both men looked on in amusement. "Whoa, wait for a second! We did not... "

Robert held up a hand to cut her off. "Sorry, sweetheart, but... " He ticked off items on his fingers as he continued. "He bought coffee. You accepted said coffee. Your drank said coffee while he drank his. That, ladies and gentlemen, constitutes a date." He walked over and kissed Rayne on the cheek, smiling at her. "You got sucked into a loophole and broke your own rule."


	7. The Little Things

 

"Have you noticed the little dimples when he smiles?"

"Or the adorable way he blushes when he's embarrassed? Oh my gosh, it's precious!"

Rayne rolled her eyes as her assistants took time to list all of Tom's winning qualities. They had started making the costumes a few days ago, and she was currently working on Loki's suit. She listened to them ooh and ahh over him for a few more minutes, as Agnes just snickered over at her table in the corner. Finally, Rayne had enough and decided to intervene.

"Really, girls! A little professionalism if you please! Mr. Hiddleston is just a man. Yes, he's a pleasant looking one, but a man just the same. Besides, he has his bad qualities too, if you hadn't noticed."

Her youngest assistant, an impressionable girl of about eighteen named Naomi, just raised a brow and snorted. "Name one, if you can."

Rayne gave a snort of her own. "You think I can't? Ok, let's see... " She lifted her hands, beginning to use her one hand to tick off points. "That infernal eyebrow lift. It's as if his face has a life of its own, and don't get me started on his wardrobe. He owns a closetful of suits, but only two pairs of jeans, both black. And those gray boots that he is so enamored with. Oh, how I hate those boots! I'd like to catch his back turned and throw them in the trash bin." She pointed a finger at the now-smirking young women. "And he snores. Loudly, all night long. You turn him over, and he turns right back again. He hogs the bed, too. All those long limbs have to go somewhere, and they take over the whole thing. You're left trying to curl around him, just to get some room."

Naomi grinned. "I keep forgetting that you two were an item at one time."

Rayne just nodded as Agnes snorted and shook her head. "Yep, we were. Still are?" She shook her head. "I don't know. Anyway, yeah, he's adorable but he's human, just like the rest of us."

Just then, there was a knock on the door before it opened to show the man in question, smiling. "Hello, all. I hope you're having a good day."

Naomi just chuckled. "We were, thank you. Rayne was just giving us a rundown of all your faults."

He cut a look her way before Agnes broke in. "In Ray's defense, the girls were talking about you as if you were perfect. She was just pointing out that you aren't."

Rayne almost laughed at the relieved look that came over Tom's face before he chuckled. "Ahh, well yes, I am just a regular guy, really." He looked at Rayne and gave her that slow smile that always made her stomach jump around. "I could give a list of your faults too, you know."

Naomi jumped on that. "Oh yes, please do! We'll see if they match up to her list."

His grin widened as he stepped fully into the room before shutting the door behind himself. As he walked slowly in Rayne's direction, he started speaking quietly. "She smells her food before she eats it, almost every time. She complains that she hates heels and skirts, but feels the need to wear them almost every day, causing her to then need a foot rub every evening. She's afraid of thunderstorms and has to cuddle until they are over, although I rather like that one. She sleeps all wrapped up in the blankets like a burrito. I used to have to pull and pull until I could get a corner free and then wrap myself around her to get any covers at all." By now he was standing right beside Rayne, looking down at her with a wistful look on his face. "I have to admit, I didn't hate that one either."

Rayne backed up a step and cleared her throat as she heard the girls making cooing noises. "Why are you here?"

Tom grinned and she could tell by the smug look on his face that he knew that he was starting to get to her. "I thought I might see if you wanted to have dinner." He held up a hand. "Filming hasn't started yet, officially. What can a burger between old friends hurt?"

Agnes spoke up. "I think that's a fine idea. She hasn't eaten yet today, and it's high time we were finished for the evening."

As if God had spoken, the girls clamored to put their things away and grab their bags as Tom clapped his hands together. "Brilliant! Let's go, darling. I know the perfect place for a bite."

Rayne just shook her head and grinned, thinking that for once it would be nice if someone, anyone, remembered that she was the boss. She grabbed her bag from her desk drawer and followed everyone else out, locking up before Tom took her arm and guided her to his waiting SUV. She lifted a brow as he opened the passenger door for her.

"I'm shocked you didn't go for a Jag."

Tom laughed then leaned in to kiss her on the forehead before shutting her door. He jogged around and climbed into the driver's side before answering her. "Well, darling, that's what I wanted, but they were all out." He winked at her before pulling out into traffic. "You do know me well, Ray. Probably more than anyone else, if I were being honest."

She grinned at his profile. "Oh, I don't know. Your mother probably knows you better."

He turned to Rayne and lifted that damn brow. "You think so?" He shook his head and turned back to watch the road. "I don't know. I bet she doesn't know how I sleep."

Rayne gasped then narrowed her eyes at him. "You heard me?!"

Tom nodded as he chuckled, the tip of his tongue poking out between his teeth in the way it did when he was honestly amused by something. "I have to admit, I did hear the conversation, but in my defense, I just didn't want to interrupt. You had some very good points."

Rayne shook her head and laughed, not at all surprised that he had heard the entire exchange. "No, most of that was bullshit, all except for the shoes." She turned to look at him and winked. "Tom, I really hate those shoes."


	8. Take A Chance On Me

 

"Did you forget to tell me something?"

Rayne looked up from the shipping list in front of her to see Agnes practically running into her office and slamming the door shut. Rayne sat back and yawned as she stretched her arms over her head. She had been trying to make sure everything was ready to be shipped to Atlanta for the shoot next week, in between dozing off. No amount of coffee, of which she had consumed more than her fair share of this morning, was helping her stay awake.

"What are you talking about?"

Agnes walked over and plopped down in the chair on the other side of Rayne's desk and gave her a baleful stare, which only made Rayne snicker as she reached for her coffee mug. The older woman pointed toward the door. "Are we by any chance fitting the cast of  _The Ranch_? I saw a few of them at the entrance downstairs as I was coming in."

Rayne thought for a moment before nodding. "I was sure I told you about that." At Agnes's snort, she shrugged. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I gave them to the apprentices since we don't have to actually make any of their costumes. Everything is off the rack." She grinned at the old woman's relieved expression. "Why? Do you have a fangirl crush on Ashton Kutcher? He's married you know, just in case you were thinking of turning into a cougar."

Rayne yawned around a laugh at the expression on Agnes's face. "Oh, you're so funny! Why are you yawning so much? Rough night?"

"Why are you changing the subject? You come running in here as if the hounds of hell are chasing you, accuse me of not telling you about the new contract, and then change the subject. Even for you, that's strange."

Agnes gave a look of such obviously fake surprise that Rayne laughed again. "I have no idea what you're talking about! Honestly, you have such an imagination. I'm just concerned that you aren't getting enough sleep, that's all."

Rayne waved a hand as she took another pull from her cup of caffeine. "I'm ok, just not sleeping well, that's all. Probably the stress of making sure everything is ready for  _IW_. I'm sure once we start filming, I'll be back to sleeping like a baby."

Agnes lifted a brow and considered her exhausted looking protege. "Of course, that's it. It couldn't be that Tom's been gone for a week."

Rayne snorted incredulously. "No, that's not it. Why would that bother me? It's not like I won't see him in Atlanta."

Agnes studied her a moment longer before standing up and nodding, effectively ending the conversation. "Well, I'm going to try to get to my office without being spotted... I mean, I'm going to head to my office now."

Rayne squinted at Agnes as she closed the door behind herself, then sighed before shaking her head. She couldn't and wouldn't tell Agnes the real reason she couldn't sleep at night. She was half-right, after all. It was because of Tom, but not because she missed him. She did, but that wasn't the cause of her sleepless nights. No, she was having dreams. Not bad ones, but dreams from when she and Tom were together the first time. 

She felt like she was losing her mind, but every time she closed her eyes, she could see every moment played out in her memory from that time. Everything, from the light-hearted moments to the erotic ones, played through her mind and woke her up. It was like her subconscious was trying to remind her of what they had, but she didn't need to remember it, she was living it. Ever since the evening they had gone out for burgers, they had gotten closer. 

Everything was coming back to her. Everything she had loved about him was coming to the forefront and pushing the bad moments into the shadows. She had to admit though, that there weren't that many bad moments. The only time she remembered Tom hurting her in any way was when he broke off their relationship, and she understood more now why that had happened.

She was just scared of feeling that way again. Even though Tom said he was a changed man, an older, wiser version of himself, a tiny part of her had to wonder if it was true. She knew that she was certainly wiser now, but that came from dealing with heartbreak. Rayne leaned her head back and closed her eyes, wondering if perhaps Tom had gone through his own brand of heartbreak when they had ended things. Even though he was the one to walk away, she never considered that it could have been just as hard for him to deal with. 

She sighed tiredly before opening her eyes and straightening back up. She had work to do, and it wasn't like she wouldn't visit this all later in her dreams.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After checking both ways to make sure the hallway was empty, Agnes quickly ran the few feet separating her office and Rayne's, slamming her door and locking it before slumping against it in relief. She couldn't believe that now, after all these years,  _he_ had to show up again. She had managed to avoid him all this time, only to have it almost blow up in her face. She walked over and plopped down in her desk chair, leaning her head forward to rest in her hands. She could feel her heart racing and would be concerned if it wasn't for the fact that she knew exactly what was causing it.

She lifted her head to look at the picture sitting on the corner of her desk, smiling at the image of her late husband Charlie on a cruise a year before he died. He looked so happy in the picture, not yet knowing about the tumor or the fact that he would shortly pass away. She thanked God every day for the years she had with her husband, and wouldn't trade them for anything, but she couldn't help it if every so often, she let her mind drift back to a different time, wondering what could have been.

She sighed before reaching out a finger to run it lightly across the glass, the closest she'd ever be to touching Charlie again. "I miss you, love. If you were here, you'd have some kind of wise advice to give me." She chuckled wryly as she shook her head. "Of course, if you were here, I wouldn't be having the thoughts that I'm having." She let out a slow breath before continuing. "Well, I have other things to think about than times gone by. I have to help Ray get ready for Atlanta."

 


	9. Changing Tides

 

Agnes rolled her eyes as she handed Rayne a tissue. She chuckled at the younger woman's sniffing before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"You don't actually see him die, you know. Besides that, you've seen the next one and know that he didn't."

Rayne scoffed as she waved a hand at the small screen in front of them. "It's implied!" She sniffed one more time before shaking her head and squaring her shoulders. "I don't know why they think  _Thor_ is a good in-flight movie." She heard Agnes chuckle again and snickered at her own foolishness. "We should be almost ready to land. Everything is in order on the ground?"

Agnes sighed. If she had ever thought she was detail oriented, Rayne had her beat by a mile. "Yes. As I've told you at least a dozen times, Melanie already has everything separated and ready to go tomorrow. You need to relax a little. Is Tom meeting you at the house?"

Rayne had rented a house for the duration of filming rather than stay in a hotel. She shook her head as she looked at the watch on her wrist. "No, I told him I would see him tomorrow at the set. I have a lot to do between now and then." She eyed Agnes for a moment. "Why is it that every time you mention my needing to relax, Tom comes into the conversation? I can relax just fine without him."

Agnes snorted out a laugh as the captain came across the loudspeaker, announcing that they were preparing to land. "Honey, if you need me to tell you the answer to that, it's been much too long."

Rayne snickered as she elbowed the older woman. "Pervert."

It wasn't like Rayne hadn't had those same thoughts, she just didn't dwell on them. Besides, Tom had given no indication that he was ready to move in that direction before he left to go back to London, so for all she knew, he wasn't there yet. He'd simply kissed her chastely on the cheek and said he would call her when he landed before he left for the airport. Sure, they had texted and talked on the phone, but nothing even remotely flirty, more just talking about their days and such.

Rayne sighed as she stood up and grabbed her carry-on from the overhead compartment. In her heart of hearts, she knew that she wanted Tom. But damned if she knew how to show him how she felt. She just couldn't read him as well as she used to and this left her unsure about where she stood. Especially whether or not he was ready to explore more of the physical side of a relationship. She shook her head as she thought that it was probably her fault anyway. She was the one that had the rule about dating while filming, but she'd decided that she was willing to let it go. She'd just have to wait and see what happened. It wasn't like they wouldn't be extremely busy with filming, after all. Besides, by the end of each day, they'd both most likely all be too exhausted for much more than dinner and preparation for another day's work.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Rayne and Agnes got out of the car in front of the studio being used for filming, Rayne swiping madly on her tablet as they walked to the entrance, pausing only long enough to show their credentials before walking into the building. The cavernous facility was already a hive of activity and they hadn't even officially started filming yet. She looked down at the ever-present tablet in her hand and nodded to herself before glancing at Agnes.

"Can you get Melanie and the rest together? I'll meet you all in the wardrobe room in, say... ten minutes?"

Agnes nodded and headed off down a hallway as Rayne stepped into a huge conference room, stopping short when she saw the entire cast along with the directors. Her eyes seemed to zero in immediately on Tom like they always did. She felt her breath stutter as she took in the sight of him. It had only been a couple of weeks since she saw him, but it felt like forever.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, he looked good. Not surprisingly, he was dressed in a dark blue suit and white shirt, black tie neatly tied at his neck. His hair and beard were perfect, as usual. He was presently laughing at something Robert had said, his head back, eyes closed, with his tongue peeking through his teeth.

That laugh always made her want to laugh too, but today something seemed to break inside her. Before she even realized she was moving, Rayne was striding across the length of the room, stopping in front of Tom as he started to smile in greeting. Before he'd uttered a single eh-hee she grabbed him by the tie with one hand while the other curled around to the back of his head, pulling him down into a deep kiss.

Tom gave a low groan as his arms slid around Rayne's waist to fasten her to him. Not that it was at all necessary since she had a death grip on his neck. Rayne was reveling in the feel of his hard body against hers, even through his suit. She stood there, enjoying the warmth and smell of him for a minute longer before suddenly letting go and stepping back. Both were absolutely breathless, trying to regain their composure as they straightened their clothes while the others looked on in amusement. Rayne turned to stride right back out of the room, making sure to put a little extra swing in her hips as she did so. Before crossing the threshold, she looked over her shoulder at Tom with a slight smirk and a saucy wink.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Agnes walked into the room she had seen Rayne disappear into earlier, looking around at all the beautiful people occupying the space. She grinned as she thought that it never ceased to amaze her when she started a film. Oh, not as much as it used to of course, but it still made her heart beat a little faster. She could still remember the first film she was on, and it made her chuckle to think about how green she had been. She saw Tom sitting in a chair in the corner with a shell-shocked look on his face and headed his way.

"What's with you?" He stared up at her for a moment as she cocked her head at him. "Ok. Nevermind. Have you seen Ray? I thought she came in here." She happened to look down where his hands were laying on his thigh and noticed something that usually wasn't that noticeable. She snorted out a laugh as Tom glared at her for a moment before ruefully chuckling along with her. "Ok, yeah, I see that you have." She pointed behind her. "I'm going to assume she went thataway." She shook her head, chuckling again. "See you at lunch, Tom."


	10. Lights, Camera, Action

 

_A Week Later_

"Do we have the inserts for Dr. Strange's boots yet?"

Agnes nodded. "Got them yesterday. FedEx delivered them."

Rayne nodded distractedly as she checked that item off of her list. Things were finally coming together, and about time too. She had a meeting later with CGI and wanted to have her ducks in a row before then. That's why she had decided to have a morning meeting with her whole team. There was a lot to get straight, and she needed to make sure the interns knew their roles. She looked around for coffee but frowned when she didn't see any.

"Could someone order some breakfast? I need coffee."

Before anyone could reach for their cell phones, she heard a very familiar voice from behind her.

"That's not necessary, my lady. I believe we have it under control."

She couldn't help but snort in amusement as she turned in her chair and saw Tom and his stand-ins, dressed in full Loki regalia, horns and all, come striding through the door pushing carts full of breakfast foods. She took a moment to mourn the loss of the beard that she was getting so used to seeing before she wondered to herself how they managed to get all those curls under that wig. She heard Agnes laughing from beside her as she looked at Melanie with a raised brow.

"How did they get those costumes, I wonder? Weren't they locked up with the others?"

Before Mel could answer her, Agnes waved off her question. "Does it matter? I for one, love to be served by horny men."

Rayne couldn't help but laugh at Agnes as Tom started chuckling from beside her. He offered her a filled mug of her favorite coffee blend almost before she could think of reaching for the coffee urn herself. "Darling, I know how busy you are, and I also know that you probably haven't taken time to eat this morning, so we're here to provide the sustenance you will need to begin your grueling daily schedule."

She smiled at him as Agnes broke into their little moment. "Bring that coffee over this way, Prince. I need some caffeine if I'm keeping up with your girl today."

Rayne watched with amusement as Tom dutifully filled Agnes's coffee mug before one of his "clones" dutifully served the older woman a plate filled with eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. She watched as Agnes looked over at the cart with interest. "Are those cinnamon rolls? Throw a couple of those on one of those cute little plates and get your sexy self over here. Hey, you did bring real sugar and cream, didn't you? Hope it's not that fake stuff?"

"Only the best for our beloved Wardrobe Mistress and her delightful compatriots." 

Tom chuckled as he reached over to pass Agnes a small pitcher of chilled cream and a covered bowl of sugar. Then, he turned his attention back to Rayne, leaned in and lightly nuzzled the shell of her ear just before whispering to her in the Loki drawl that he did so well.

"And you, my lady? Which of my many treats might I offer to satisfy your... appetites?"

Rayne closed her eyes for a moment against the mental image of just exactly what he could do. Finally, when she felt that it was safe to answer, she opened her eyes to find him smirking at her.

"You really don't want the answer to that question right now."

Tom laughed as she bit her lip to hold in a nervous giggle. "Perhaps, darling, but we are getting nearer to the time that I will indeed require the answer." He bowed slightly at the waist then, placed his hands on the conference table on either side of Rayne as he spoke. "Though one might suppose providing you with a glorious morning repast will have to suffice for the moment."

"Thank you, my beautiful Prince. I accept your gallant offering of food and drink as I thoughtfully consider your query." 

Rayne dramatically swept an arm toward the breakfast carts then looked up at Tom and smiled.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that morning, Agnes waited for her call to go through, finally hearing a young woman on the other end of the line. "Hello, Agnes?"

Agnes grinned to herself. "This is Agnes from the wardrobe shop, Dr. Eber, Cumber... What do I call you, honey?"

"Oh!" She heard the other woman give a small giggle. "Anna is fine. Just Anna. By the way, did FedEx deliver the orthotics on time?"

"Got 'em yesterday. From the labeling on the box, it looks like there are three kinds here: low impact, running, and high impact. Is that right?"

"Yes, that's exactly right. Three pairs each. That should be enough to last for the entire show. Yes?"

"Yep. I will personally get these down to the shop myself and let Rayne know that they're here," she reassured Anna. "I'd be honored to have you take a look around if you're free later. Let's say around mid-afternoon? We're performing a camera test to make sure the insoles translate on film without wrecking the continuity."

"Looking forward to meeting you in person, Agnes. See you this afternoon."

"Alrighty. See you then."

Agnes walked into the shop, watching as Melanie scurried back and forth from one end to the other, working on various projects with assistants from different benches. Rayne had been in a meeting all morning with the CGI team, working on how the costumes would work with the rigging and special effects.

"Anybody seen Ray?" Agnes called out as she entered the shop.

"CGI!" Melanie responded. Her voice slightly muffled as she stooped behind several bolts of fabric.

"The orthotic insoles for Strange...?"

"On the floor, next to your sewing machine."

"Thanks, darlin,"

Agnes bent down to look for Melanie through the forest of fabric rolls. When they caught each other's eye, Agnes gave a slight wave as she continued on to her workspace. When she got to her desk, the first thing she saw was that FedEx box staring at her so, she opened it. She'd be damned if it wasn't wrapped up tighter than Fort Knox. Once she actually got to one of the inner boxes, she naturally couldn't resist taking a look at these almighty insoles.

"Holy fucking shit!" Agnes thought to herself. She had no idea what they're supposed to do, but Agnes instinctively knew that these insoles were  _huge_. She stretched out her arm and laid one on her forearm. It covered from the crook of her elbow to her fingertips and most of her palm. She chuckled quietly then whistled. " _Wow, mind blown,_ " she thought to herself as she stared at the object on her arm. " _Hemsworth is buff and all, but his feet ain't this damn big. The only other feet almost the same size are Hiddles,_ " Agnes quirked a brow. "Guess  _you never really know what's lurking under those custom superhero costumes until you see its parts out of context_ ". Now Agnes was even more curious to meet Benedict's wife, Doctor Eberhardt.

Just as she was tucking the ridiculous flappy orthotics back in their box for safe keeping, a drone buzzed overhead. Agnes had nearly forgotten about the behind the scenes footage being filmed as they worked. The sudden appearance of the drone made her miss the good old days when a camera crew had to shadow a person all day. "Now, they just sneak up on ya out of nowhere," she grumbled. "Hey! fuck you!" Agnes reached up as the machine flew overhead and ceremoniously flipped the bird. "I've got your highlight reel right here... Betcha that shit makes the behind the scenes footage." Agnes laughed.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It'd been a long morning in one of the tech departments, but rigging was vitally important. And, as these guys know, it's safety before comfort when it comes to costuming stars of the MCU. After inspecting the wire rigging, Rayne couldn't help but giggle at the amount of padding it was going to take to make a couple of them comfortable in their wire-fu setups. Thank goodness for CGI because designing around that harness and wire had definitely been challenging.

So far though - everything looked great. Next workstation over had renderings of the costumes cataloged. "Very nice," Rayne nodded at a computer monitor. "It's beautiful, isn't it? All of the live colors are transferring well, thanks." Rayne gave the tech's shoulder a polite pat. She smiled as she looked on because she knew that this was one less thing for her team to worry about. She breathed a sigh of relief and finally marked this task as complete. Just as she was headed for the door, her watch pinged at her. It was Tom sending a message consisting of nothing more than several smiley emojis. Rayne rolled her eyes at that a bit because Old Tom would have absolutely no use for communicating with emojis. She flagged the message to remind herself to call him from her phone and hopped on a golf cart to get to the shop.

Back across campus, she was just in time to supervise the fittings for Strange and his boots. By the look of things, Agnes had already gotten started. When she walked in, she saw Agnes surrounded by multiple Drs. Strange and a beautiful woman laughing at something Benedict was saying. She chuckled as she heard Agnes telling Melanie what to do.

"Well, don't this look like a party. Have I missed anything?"

Agnes grinned. "Nope! Just getting started." She grabbed the hand of the other woman and turned her in Rayne's direction. "Rayne, this is Dr. Eberhardt. She sent the insoles we're about to try out." She waved a hand as if something else just occurred to her. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot - she's also married to Benedict here."

Rayne shook her head as she moved forward to shake hands with Dr. Eberhardt. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor."

The other woman smiled as she returned the handshake and patted the back of Rayne's hand. "Anna, please." She winked. "Nice to finally meet you in person. I've heard a lot about you lately, Rayne."

Rayne raised a brow at that but said nothing as Agnes started to fill her in on the process of making sure everyone was adjusted to the new footwear. Soon, they were done with the fittings and everyone headed over to one of the studio sets to check for continuity with the different actors. Once that was done, they all came back to the wardrobe department so that Benedict and his doubles could change and the wardrobe team could place everything back under lock and key until needed.

Rayne watched as Agnes held up a huge boot and started to snicker. Agnes looked at Anna and pointed at the shoe. "So, Cumbers delivers, huh?"

  
Rayne cringed, waiting for Anna to react indignantly, but all she did was laugh and nudge Agnes with her elbow. "In more ways than one, my friend."

She chuckled at the two women until they turned to her with matching grins, Agnes reaching into the storage bin behind her and holding up one of Loki's boots for comparison. She lifted a brow as Anna snorted into her hand like a naughty child. "I don't think Rayne has anything to complain about either, just sayin. I mean, if the rumors about shoe size are true, both of you gals should be almost bowlegged and walking kinda funny."

This only made Anna laugh harder as Rayne turned ten shades of red. "I walk just fine, thanks."

Of course, Rayne's comment only seemed to goad Agnes on. "Well, you wouldn't be if you gave that boy what he wanted."

Rayne huffed and pointed a finger in her direction before turning to walk over to her desk. "I don't know what he wants, and I'm beginning to think that neither does he, not that this is a conversation we should be having here."

As Rayne and Agnes snarked back and forth, out of the corner of her eye, she watched Anna walk over to Strange's costume and run a hand lovingly over the cloak. There were several versions of the garment, but this was the one that Ben had just worn for the camera test. Anna sensed Rayne watching her and gave a polite smile.

"I absolutely love this cloak, don't ask me why. I have all kinds of thoughts when I see him wearing it." She winked at Rayne. "I don't suppose you'd consider letting me borrow it sometime. I promise that I would bring it back in one piece."

Rayne heard Agnes snort. "Without bodily fluids?"

She stared at her mentor in horror for a moment. "Agnes! Oh my god, could you have some tact?!"

Instead of being angry, Anna snorted out a laugh. "Oh honey, I'm not even mad. That was the funniest thing I've heard today!" She winked. "Agnes! - how dare you...?!" Anna looked at Agnes and furrowed her brow. Agnes winced and gropes for her coffee cup. "To suggest that I'd send back such a treasure soiled. Shame on you." Anna snickered. "You know I'd have it dry cleaned first." Agnes snorted out a laugh of relief, and soon Anna was giggling with her. Rayne just shook her head and laughed along with them before Anna spoke up again with a sigh. "I suppose I should be going. I have a training course to put the Marvel men through in the morning." She winked at Rayne again with a saucy grin. "Maybe you should join us. Give Tom some... inspiration."

Rayne just shook her head again and laughed as they walk toward the door. "I think I'll sit this one out. I don't think I could keep up with the rest of you."

She watched Anna quickly jot something down on the back of a business card then hand the card to her. "Well if you change your mind, that's my cell. Call me and I'll tell you where we are. If not, we should definitely get together before I leave town. Maybe make the boys take us out for dinner and dancing! That would be fun!"

Rayne found herself nodding as she tucked the card into the pocket of her jeans. "That does sound like fun. Let's definitely do that."

Anna turned to go, but spun back quickly, snapping her fingers. "I almost forgot! Could you possibly shoot me a text with the weights of the different costumes? It's part of the training tomorrow."

She grinned and nodded. "Sure. I'll look those numbers up right now."

Anna winked at her and smiled before turning back to the door. "Thanks, sweetie! Hope to see you in the morning."

Rayne shook her head and chuckled as she closed the door behind herself and she was left with a few minutes to herself. She grabbed her phone from her desk and called Tom, swiping through her tablet while she waited for him to answer. She grinned when she heard his cheerful voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello, Rayne! How are you luv?"

She grinned as she twirled a lock of hair between her fingers. "I'm good, although I do have a question. Since when do you use emojis?"

She heard him give that low chuckle that always gave her a thrill. "My friends are terrible influences, aren't they darling? Honestly, I had just wanted to say a quick hello and not take up a lot of your time, since I know how busy you've been."

"Well, that's certainly the New Tom."

Another chuckle greeted her greedy ears. "Yes, I suppose it is. He thinks of you quite often."

Rayne blushed although he couldn't see it. "And the Old Tom? Where's he been hiding?"

It took him a moment to answer, but when he did, she wasn't prepared for the sudden lower register of his voice or the words he spoke. "In the shower every morning with a bar of soap and his lonely old memories."

Rayne was momentarily speechless, but when she could manage, she was only able to get a few words to come out. "I... uhh... well..."

She heard Tom laugh loudly on the other end of the call: "I can't believe I've finally managed to render you speechless!"

Rayne could feel the blush spreading to the roots of her hair. "You did not!"

"I did! I also bet that if I were there, I'd see you blushing a very becoming shade of red." He cleared his throat. "As much fun as this is, I really need to get going, Darling, perhaps I can see you this evening?"

She bit her lip around a sudden smile. "I think we can arrange that. Have a good afternoon, Tom."

"You too, luv."

Rayne hung up, suddenly in need of a shower herself.


	11. Rock Steady

 

_The Next Morning_

Rayne could hear the group of Marvel superheroes before she saw them, each singing cadence as they came into view. She was doing side bends and a bit of stretching as she waited, wanting to be limber for the coming run. She was dressed quite casually of course, in leggings and a tank top under her Marvel jacket, with a pair of hot pink trainers on her feet and a Marvel snapback on her head, her hair pulled through the back in a ponytail.

As they got nearer to the shop doors, Anna nodded in salute and waved her into the pack. Rayne waited for Tom to run past before jumping right in at full speed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom laughed out loud when he saw Anna wave Rayne into the group, suddenly happy to be awake this early in the morning. He waited until she came up beside him to speak, although he was quite surprised to see her amongst the runners.

"I didn't know you were a runner, Rayne. You continue to surprise me, don't you?"

She laughed as he continued to watch her from the corner of his eye. She looked radiant this morning as if the early hour was a favorite time of hers. He tried to remember, but couldn't, whether or not she was a morning person or not. He gave his head a slight shake. Another notch on Asshole Tom's side. Bloody hell, they were lovers for months! Surely he should have paid more attention to those little details. Well, from now on, he would notice every little thing and make a mental map of one Rayne Ellison.

"I am indeed a runner. I'm sure there are all kinds of things you don't know about me, T-Hiddy."

Tom heard a snicker come from behind them and looked over his shoulder to see Robert wink at him. He turned back to Rayne with a chuckle of his own. "I'm sure that's true, darling. I shall look forward to finding out all of your secrets."

She seemed to be thinking about something before she turned to wink at him and grin. "Are you up for making this interesting?"

Tom lifted a brow as Anna picked up the pace of the group. He was starting to breathe a little heavier, as were the other guys, while Anna and Rayne looked like they hadn't even hit their stride yet. Of course, the cast were all wearing heavy packs as well, so that made some difference. "You mean more interesting than carrying you back to the shop when you pass out from exhaustion?"

She laughed loudly, causing Anna to turn and smirk in their direction. Rayne suddenly twisted around and started jogging backward beside him, making Robert roar with laughter. "Oh, smack talk, Hiddles? You don't know what you're in for, baby. What do ya say? A friendly little wager between friends?"

Tom slowly grinned, seeing his perfect opportunity. "Alright, darling." He held up his wrist to show his Apple Watch. "Best heart rate wins?"

She nodded and stuck a hand out. "If I win, you have to bring me breakfast every morning of the shoot."

Tom nodded, agreeing to her terms. "And if I win, you have to let me pamper you."

He could see the wheels turning in her head and could practically hear her thoughts. She thought that either way, she wasn't a loser, and that was exactly how he wanted it. Finally, she nodded and they shook on it.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Rayne and Tom walked down the hall to his hotel room, he was silently gloating at the fact that he actually won their bet. Alright, he won by a technicality, but he won just the same, and he wasn't too proud to take the win. It wasn't his fault that she forgot to set her watch. Tom unlocked the door and with a hand on the small of her back, he ushered her into the room and shut the door behind them. He laid his keycard on the table beside the couch before emptying his pockets.

"Darling, I'll be just a few minutes. Why don't you make yourself comfortable, then when I'm finished, you can take a shower as well?"

She smiled at him as she sat down on the couch to take off her trainers. "That's fine. I'm going to check my messages while you're cleaning up."

Tom nodded before moving toward the en-suite. He made quick work of his shower, to give Rayne an opportunity to clean up after the grueling start to their morning. He chuckled to himself as he thought that Anna certainly put them all through the ringer, but overall they did her proud. He left the water running so it would be hot for Rayne as he stepped out and grabbed a towel from the heated rack. He wrapped it around his waist before making sure there were fresh towels for Rayne. He quickly moved to the bedroom, shouting over his shoulder as he went. "Shower's free, luv!"

Tom heard her muffled reply as he stuck his head into the closet and pulled out fresh jogging pants and a t-shirt. He quickly donned his clothes as he heard the bathroom door shut and Rayne humming. Tom chuckled to himself as he walked into the living area to find the room service menu. He wanted to make breakfast special for his girl. She'd been working so hard and she deserved a little time out from the world. He had the foresight... well, really, he had the hope that they would get to spend some time together, so he had bought her favorite body wash and shampoo to have on hand, just in case. That should be a nice surprise.

Just as he hung up from room service, he heard the shower shut off and quickly walked over to the bathroom door, knocking softly. "Darling? May I come in?"

He heard her muffled "yes" and grinned as he opened the door, not surprised to see her bent over and wrapping a towel around her sodden hair. She raised up and lifted a brow at him as he swallowed hard at the sight of her clad only in a towel. Tom was starting to think that what he has planned next may be harder than he had originally anticipated. He was momentarily transfixed by a droplet of water winding its way slowly down the column of her throat. Tom cleared his throat as the thought of tracing that line with his tongue became increasingly more tantalizing. He watched her grin at him and couldn't help but smile back.

"Can I help you with something Tom?"

Tom shook his head as he took the few steps to place himself directly in front of her. He reached out and grasped the edge of the towel as he looked into her eyes. "No, but I was hoping that I could help you. Will you let me?"

She seemed to consider what he'd said, those lovely teeth nipping at her bottom lip before she slowly nodded. Tom smiled and leaned in to give her a peck on the nose, making her giggle as he pulled the towel from her body. He made an effort to keep his eyes on hers as he began drying her off with the warm towel, needing her to trust him to take care of her.

As Tom carefully dried her arms and back, he couldn't help but think that this needed to happen more often. Not this specific act, but the act of Rayne giving up a little control and letting others do for her. He fully realized how much responsibility she carried on an average day, most of which might be lessened by simply delegating some responsibility to her team. If she'd let them, of course. Not that any of that mattered right now because Tom was enjoying himself as much as he was pampering Rayne.

Tom stooped down taking great care to make quick work of finishing the job. The last thing he wanted was for Rayne to catch a chill. Knowing Rayne's propensity to be a bit ticklish, Tom was careful and deliberate with the bottoms of her feet and the backs of her knees. He smiled, poking his tongue between his teeth when he earned himself a few snickers anyway. Next, he threw the towel in the hamper and reached for the fluffy robe on the back of the door, helping her to shrug it on as she tightened the sash. Then, Tom removed the towel from her hair and spent a few minutes gently towel-drying it as delicately as his powerful hands could muster.

The scent of Rayne's skin and hair combined to remind him of early-morning loving in the shower, hurried touches and whispered words mingled with swirls of steam from mornings that seemed long ago. He had to pull himself back from those memories quickly as he stepped back and let her hair fall from his hands. When he was done, Tom took Rayne's hand and smiled at her, just before sweetly brushing a kiss on her forehead. "How about some breakfast? You must be starving, luv."

She nodded her agreement, grinned and squeezed his hand as they left the bathroom together. "I am famished, actually. That was quite the workout this morning."

Tom laughed as they walked into the living area quite pleased to see that room service had been and gone without notice. A small dining table in the corner of the room was set for two, with a lovely bouquet of red gerbera daisies in the middle. All of Rayne's favorite breakfast foods were beautifully set before them on silver serving platters dishes waiting to be eaten. At least the ones Tom could remember from the top of his head, anyway.

He pulled Rayne's chair out for her and waited until she was seated before taking his own place across the table. He watched her with a satisfied grin as she looked around at all the foods: chocolate croissants, fruit salad, orange juice, and coffee, of course, all sat alongside her absolute favorites - scrambled eggs and bacon.

"Tom, you've outdone yourself. My favorite body wash and shampoo, my favorite flowers and food." She reached across the small space between them and squeezed his hand. "Thank you. This is all so lovely and very thoughtful."

He raised Rayne's hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, smiling at her. "No thanks necessary, darling. You deserve it." He waved his other hand at the table. "I'm just happy that I could remember all the little things that make you smile. I'd like to see more of that. Oh, by the way. Happy Valentine's Day, love."

Rayne smiled and gave a light laugh. "Happy Valentine's to you too, Tom."

They settled into a comfortable silence then, each of them eating and sharing the morning paper. Tom happened to look up and it suddenly struck him that this was what had been missing from his life. The continuity, the sharing of space with another person, not necessarily speaking or filling the silence, but just being there with each other. He must have sighed louder than he thought because Rayne looked up at him. He waved his hand between the two of them, making her frown of confusion deepen.

" _This_. We've never done this."

She grinned at that, nodding her head thoughtfully. "You know, I believe you're right, but in our defense, we were both usually in a hurry to get somewhere back then."

Tom laid his section of the paper on his empty plate and leaned in on his elbows, fingers steepled so he could look at her over them. He shook his head as he considered what she'd just said. "No. Please don't give me an excuse, love. I don't deserve one." He waved a hand around again. "You deserved this, then and now, and I was a right bastard to not give it to you."

She looked at him for a moment before turning her head to stare off into space for a moment before finally turning her gaze back to Tom. "You're right. I wanted this and you didn't, but... " She bit her lip for a moment before continuing. "You wanted a second chance, and now that I've given you one, you need to let all of that go so that we can move forward, yes?"

Tom took a moment to thank god that she indeed gave him another chance before smiling at her and nodding. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Okay... Well then, how about a change of subject?" Tom raised a brow. Rayne smiled and laced her fingers together and leaned forward on her elbows resting her chin on her hands in response. "I can't wait to take you dancing this evening, darling."

Rayne laughed and nodded. "It should be a great time." She looked down at her watch and groaned. "Unfortunately, if I'm going to get my work done in time, I need to get moving. I still have to find something to wear."

Tom nodded, scooting her chair back as she got up to get dressed. "Yes, I suppose I need to get going as well. I need to get a haircut today."

She stopped and turned to him with a frown on her face before walking over to him and running a hand through his hair. "I don't know why, but it didn't dawn on me that Loki would have to make an appearance at some point until yesterday when you showed up cleanly shaven." She sighed and grinned up at him. "I'm going to miss this rugged look you have going. It's very sexy."

Tom stood very still, looking as if he was considering something before chuckling and pulling her into his arms. "How about this? When I'm not filming a movie or doing a play, I'll grow it out, just for you."

She grinned before stretching up to give him a quick kiss. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

He laughed as she turned to go into the bathroom, and he couldn't help but watch her walk away and think that at this point, he might just be the luckiest man alive. It had taken a lot to get where they were, and although he could have easily seduced her again, he wanted to prove to her that he was worthy of her patience.


	12. Save The Last Dance For Me

 

Rayne opened the front door of her house a crack before looking back over her shoulder at Anna, who was holding shopping bags in both arms.

"Ok, you might get jumped on, but he won't bite. Try to save the groceries."

Anna nodded and snickered as Rayne pushed the door all the way open to let her friend pass through. She heard him before she saw him, his heavy footfalls tapping across the hardwood of the kitchen. Anna barely had time to rest the bags on the kitchen island before she was being systematically licked to within an inch of her life. Two front paws were resting on her shoulders as she tried to simultaneously pet and push the huge head away from her face.

Rayne shook her head in exasperation. "Woof! Get down! That's no way to treat a guest."

Anna laughed out loud as the huge dog dutifully sat on the floor in front of Rayne, waiting patiently for a treat from his mistress. "Oh my god, you have a dog, and his name is Woof?" At Rayne's nod, she laughed harder. "Oh, that's adorable! He's beautiful, Rayne. What kind of dog is he?"

Rayne gave Woof his dog biscuit before patting him on the head. He trotted off to an unknown part of the house on a secret adventure as the two women unloaded the grocery bags. "He's half Australian Shepherd and half Black Lab, but if you ask Agnes, he's a hellhound." At Anna's laughter, she continued. "No, really. She thinks he hates her, but I think he just assumes that she's a big chew toy."

Anna shook her head as she picked up the chicken from the counter and turned to start preparing it. Rayne got into a lower cabinet and handed her a roasting pan before she started cleaning vegetables. "Well, I must say, you didn't strike me as a dog person. Something else you and Tom have in common, huh?"

Rayne just shrugged and grinned as she washed the asparagus and mushrooms. "I suppose. I have to say, I like the change in plans. Dinner in is much better than a restaurant."

Anna grinned at her as she sat the chicken in the pan. "Not ready to be public yet?"

Rayne shrugged again before leaning against the counter beside Anna. "Is it still hard for you and Benedict to go out in public?"

Anna shook her head. "No, not so much anymore, but we do have times when the attention is beyond intense. It can be challenging, but we make it through okay. You will too, you'll see." She watched Rayne prepare the vegetables for a moment before continuing. "How are things going between you and Tom? You two seem to be doing well."

Rayne sighed before she even realized that she did it. "We are... ok, I think. He's taking this second chance very seriously, so he's moving slowly, but that's fine."

Anna chuckled as she nodded in agreement. "Slow isn't such a bad thing. Tom is very goal oriented. It's just that he sees the big picture better than the average person."

Rayne snickered. "Well, that wasn't always true."

Anna just looked at her. "Sure it was. He saw what the future could be, even back then, but he was scared of it, of the changes it would mean." She shrugged. "Now, he welcomes the changes. He's grown up a lot in two years, sweetie."

Rayne just nodded. "That does seem to be the case." She looked around before continuing. "It looks like everything is ready. Do you want to go get your bag from the car? You can change first. I need to start the dessert."

Anna nodded before walking out the doorway leading to the hall. The girls had decided to change after getting dinner started, so while Anna was doing that, Rayne would work on dessert.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom could hear a dog barking as he and Benedict got out of the car at Rayne's. It made him miss Baci, and he wished he had been able to bring her with him this trip, but she was good with his mum and he'd see her soon enough. He found it amazing how close he'd gotten with the puppy, and knew that he was done for. She was his baby. He smirked to himself, wondering how Rayne would get along with his other girl. He was certain that they would get along just fine, although he didn't really know if Rayne was an animal lover. He was pulled from his musings by Anna sticking her head out the door and chuckling.

"I heard you pull up. You might want to move quickly and avoid eye contact."

Ben looked at Tom with the confused face that he knew he was wearing himself as they stepped into the foyer. Almost the moment their feet hit the tiles, they heard a pounding noise then saw a gigantic ball of fur running at full tilt toward them. Ben managed to dodge out of the way but Tom was hit full force by the barking dog. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rayne running behind the dog. She stopped a few feet away with her hands on her hips.

"Woof! Down boy!"

Tom started to laugh as the dog licked him on the face and barked a welcome. He finally got down and sauntered over to Ben to be petted, barking at him as well. When he had met all the newcomers, he plodded over to Rayne and sat at her feet, looking up at her adoringly. Tom wasn't sure, but he thought he may have just fallen in love a little more with the woman presently petting the dog. He walked over and rubbed the beast between the eyes as he smiled at his girl.

"Darling, did I hear you correctly? His name is Woof?"

Rayne blushed a little but nods as Tom leaned in for a welcome kiss. When he straightened back up, she shrugged. "Yeah, that's his name. He barks a lot or did when he was a baby. He's almost five months now, so he's calmed down a little."

For the first time since they got there, Benedict joined the conversation from where he was standing with his arm around Anna. "Wait. He's only _five months_?! How bloody big will he get?"

Rayne shrugged again as she motioned for everyone to go into the dining room. "Oh, it's hard to say really. He may be close to being done growing, but then again he could get much bigger. Only time will tell."

Tom shook his head and reached down to scratch behind Woof's ears as Ben and Anna laughed. "Well, I think you're a handsome boy. Yes, you are!"

As Anna showed the boys into the dining room, Rayne led Woof through the kitchen and to the back door, letting him run in the backyard for a while. If not, she knew from experience that nobody would be able to eat in peace.

When she returned to the dining room, everyone else was seated and waiting for her to return. She smiled and waved him away when Tom started to get up to push her chair in. "There. We should have a little time without barking and begging. If he doesn't run some of that energy off, he'll attack poor Agnes when she gets home."

Tom laughed as he poured Rayne a glass of wine. "How long are they planning to be out, do you know?"

Rayne shook her head as she took a sip of the perfectly chilled wine. "Not really. There was something said about a movie after dinner and maybe a drive, but who knows." She pointed at both of the men and grinned. "I want to thank you for giving up your evening out to make Anna and I happy. It was a lovely gesture to give the reservations to Agnes and the girls. They loved the idea."

Tom reached across the table and took Rayne's hand, squeezing gently. "No need to thank us, darling. I'm sure that Ben will agree that as long as we are all together, it's a perfect evening. Besides, the girls have worked extremely hard and deserve to have some fun."

Rayne nodded in agreement as they all began to eat. She knew better than Tom just how hard the girls had worked, and she really was happy that they had gotten an evening out. Her revery was interrupted by Tom."I thought perhaps if you weren't too busy this weekend, I'd steal you away for a couple of days."

Rayne shook her head and frowned. "No, I'm sorry. I'll be in Savannah this weekend."

Anna raised a brow in interest. "What takes you to Savannah? My brother has a vacation house on Tybee Island. It's gorgeous there." She reached over and took Ben's hand. "We're actually headed that way this weekend, to take some time. Why don't you two join us?"

Ben nodded in agreement as Rayne replied to Anna. "That would be lovely! I'm actually giving a lecture to the incoming students at SCAD." She turned to Tom. "How does that sound to you? You can see where I went to school and come to see my lecture, although I'm sure it will be boring." She looked down at the table with a grin. "I mean, you don't have to, I just thought it would be fun."

Tom leaned toward her and smiled. "I would love to." He turned to Ben and Anna. "Thank you for the invitation. That sounds perfect."

She smiled at him as Ben threw his napkin on the table and rubbed his stomach. "Well ladies, that was a wonderful meal. What do you say we take a walk outside?"

Anna looked at Rayne and smiled. "Oh! What about some dancing? That should burn some calories!"

Rayne laughed as she stood up and began to clear the table. "That sounds great. Let me get these into the kitchen, then I'll find some music for us."

The rest stood with her, Ben nodding in her direction. "You take care of this, and just point me in the direction of the music. I'll handle that part."

Tom took a stack of plates from the table and followed behind Rayne to the kitchen. He sat them on the counter before taking the plates for her hands and doing the same with them. He pulled her into his arms and swayed back and forth for a moment before looking down at her. "I don't think I've given you a proper kiss, darling." He leaned down and captured her lips with his, both sinking into the embrace for a few moments before lifting their heads. He grinned as he kissed her on the nose. "How are we getting there tomorrow?"

Rayne shrugged as she turned to run the hot water. "I was going to drive."

Tom nodded as he handed her plates to rinse, each working in tandem with the other until everything was in the dishwasher and ready to go. "Well, I have a driver at my disposal. Why don't we just use him?"

Rayne chuckled as she shut the dishwasher and turned it on. "That doesn't seem excessive?"

Tom frowned slightly as he drew her back into his arms for another hug. "No, darling, it doesn't. If we use the driver, you can work on your notes, and I have some scripts to look over. I think it's a fine idea."

Rayne chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Tom's neck. "Whatever you think, Tom."

Tom snickered before giving her a quick kiss. "I love it when you agree with me."

Rayne snorted as she broke away from his hug. "Of course, you do. You're a man."

Tom laughed as they walked out the back door to find Ben and Anna already swaying to a low romantic tune. Tom pulled Rayne back into the circle of his arms and held her closer than before. He smiled as Rayne's head fell softly against his chest and her arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him in closer. He let his head rest on hers for a little while, just enjoying the moment and reveling in holding her this close.

Before long, the music changed to a sexier beat, and Tom looked over to see Ben give Anna a twirl then snap his hip into hers. They fell into a comfortable rhythm as Ben laced their fingers together and held her close. Tom grinned at the duo but turned his attention back to the woman in his own arms, who looked up at him with a wink and a sweet smile. Not to be outdone, Tom swept a few wisps of hair from the shell of her ear and swayed Rayne while whispering seductively in her ear. Then, he spun her until she was facing away from him which made Rayne look down and giggle.

When she looked up, she found Tom admiring their reflection in the sliding glass doors. Rayne sighed thoughtfully, taking in the beauty of the moment. The scenario couldn't have been more cinematic - a full moon on a warm Winter's evening, soft seductive music and being lovingly held by the strong arms of her beau. Tom kissed her temple and whispered a suggestion. Rayne nodded her reply and led him into the living room. They slipped out of sight, but returned a short time later, slightly disheveled, looking like naughty teenagers. Ben nuzzled Anna's nose and left a light kiss there. He winked over Anna's shoulder to give his friends a smile.

"You two look like kittens that got into the cream. What've you been up to then, eh?"

Tom and Rayne looked at each other, then back to Ben before responding in unison: "Ummm...  _nothing_!" Tom groped for Rayne's hand and pulled her into his side.

"So - anyone up for dessert and a movie? The media room in this house is spectacular," Rayne offered.

Anna nodded her head eagerly as Rayne motioned for everyone to walk ahead of her back into the house. She then led them downstairs to the theater room where the other three just stood and stared for a moment in awe. Finally, Tom broke the silence with a chuckle.

"Darling, you weren't joking! This place is amazing!"

Rayne just laughed and pointed towards the row of theater chairs. "Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable. I'll just run up and grab dessert. Anyone want more wine?"

Anna nodded. "Why don't I come help you? You'll need an extra pair of hands."

Rayne grinned as she started back up the stairs. "Sounds like a plan."

Anna elbowed Rayne jokingly as they strolled back into the kitchen. "Soooo... what was that earlier?"

Rayne just shrugged and laughed as she pulled the cheesecake out of the fridge. "Oh, nothing. Will you grab me some plates from that cabinet?"

As Anna located four dessert plates and forks, Rayne pulled a small bowl of brandied strawberries from a refrigerated drawer to garnish the cake with. As she cut each of them a wedge of the dessert, Anna opened a bottle of chilled champagne and fetched four flutes down from the cabinet. Once the girls had everything ready, Rayne grabbed the tray with plates and forks while Anna took the bubbly and glasses. The ladies made their way back downstairs to the theater room, where the boys seemed to be fighting over what movie they should watch.

Tom looked at Rayne as the ladies walked in, his face showing his growing exasperation, "Darling, tell Ben that  _The Notebook_  is much better than  _The Last Song!_ They aren't even on the same level."

Rayne chuckled as she sat the tray of desserts on a side table. "Well, I have to agree with Tom on this one, Ben."

Anna nodded in agreement as Ben groaned. "Oh, fine! We'll watch  _The Notebook_."

As everyone settled down in their respective chairs, Rayne started handing out the cheesecake, watching Tom's face as she did. She grinned at the look of wonder on his face as he took his plate almost reverently.

"Rayne, this is my absolute favorite."

She just snickered as she took the seat beside him. "I know. It's the only kind of pudding you would ever eat." She looked around Tom to where Ben and Anna were seated. "There are blankets in the closet in the corner if anyone needs one."

She reached for the remote laying on the arm of her chair and pushed a button that dimmed the lights, then another to start the movie. About halfway through the movie, Woof came bounding downstairs and laid in the seat next to Ray with his head on the armrest so she could pet him. With one hand in Tom's and the other petting her baby, Rayne thought that this was a pretty perfect evening.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the movie ended, Ray surveyed her guests and shook her head, chuckling. "I don't think any of you are in any shape to go home. Why don't you just stay here for the night?" Tom, who was draped around her like an octopus, nodded into her neck as Ben and Anna laughed. "The couch pulls out and it's pretty comfortable. Tom can sleep in with me... well, he can if he gets there before Woof does."

As if sensing a disturbance in the force, Woof came thundering up the stairs from the theater room and ran past them down the hall to the bedrooms, making Rayne chuckle as Tom followed the dog. By the time she had Ben and Anna settled with blankets and pillows, she found Tom and Woof having a stand-off in her bedroom. Woof was firmly planted on what he saw as his side of the bed, while Tom stood glaring at him with his hands on his hips. When he sees Rayne, he waves a hand in the dog's direction.

"He won't budge. Is there some trick to get him off the bed that I don't know about?"

Rayne laughed and shook her head. "Nope. He's used to sleeping with me. I don't know what we're going to do."

Tom tapped one long finger on his chin for several moments before snapping his fingers. "I have it! Where is his crate, luv?"

Rayne lifted a brow in confusion. "In the laundry room off the kitchen, why?"

Tom smirked. "Well, he may not like it if I sleep in his bed."

Rayne shrugged as she walked over to the bureau to grab a nightshirt. "It's worth a try, I suppose."

Tom walked over and kissed her on the cheek. "Trust me, darling. I'll be back in no time. Perhaps we can pick up where we left off earlier, yes?'

Rayne simply grinned and nodded as Tom coaxed Woof from the room with the promise of a treat.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne woke up sometime later, noting that she was still alone in bed. She rubbed her eyes and looked over at the alarm clock on the bedside table, seeing that it was just after three a.m. She scratched her head in confusion as she got out of bed, wondering where Tom had gotten off to. She walked through the quiet halls until she reached the laundry room. She flipped on the recessed lighting and saw a sight that she certainly hadn't expected. Tom, cuddled up with Woof on the floor under a blanket, both sound asleep. She snickered before getting into the linen closet and grabbing a pillow. Gently, so as not to wake him, she lifted Tom's head and placed the pillow under him before kissing him lightly on the cheek. She then turned back to the doorway and flipped the light back out, leaving the two new best friends to their dreams.


	13. Say Yes To The Dress

 

Rayne opened one eye as she felt a wet tongue on the side of her face. She groaned as she pushed the head away and struggled to wake up.

"Ugh! Woof, get off!"

She heard a snicker before she was suddenly flipped over onto her back to see Tom leaning over her, laughing. "I feel like I should be offended that you thought I was the dog."

Rayne snorted as she pushed him back, trying to sit up. "Well, when you wake me by licking my face, that's going to be my first assumption, you weirdo." She pushed her hair back out of her face and looked around with still-fuzzy vision. "What time is it?"

Tom flipped over onto his back beside her on the bed as he looked at his watch. "It's just after eight a.m." He pulled on her arm until she flopped bonelessly over onto his chest. "Why didn't you wake me?"

Rayne snickered as she drew random figure eights on his shirt with her finger. "Well, you looked so peaceful, and I might have felt a little offended myself."

"Why is that, luv?"

Rayne looked up at him and grinned. "Well, when you chose the dog as a bed partner over me, I thought, ok, then."

Tom chuckled as he ran his long fingers through her hair, making her sigh. "Well, you have to believe me when I say that was not the plan. I thought I'd get him to settle down and then I'd join you, but it didn't work out that way."

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the bedroom door, followed by Agnes' voice. "You two going to sleep all day? Got nothing better to do?"

Rayne groaned as Tom chuckled. She yawned and sat up to swing her legs off the bed. "I need to grab a shower."

She heard Tom sigh before she heard the bed move, signaling that he'd also gotten up. "Ok. I'll go see what's going on with breakfast."

By the time Rayne made it into the kitchen, there was quite the crowd. Both assistants, Melanie, Agnes, and Tom were laughing and eating as she leaned against the wall watching them for a moment before Tom noticed she was there. He pointed at the chair next to him and jumped up.

"Have a seat, darling. I'll fix you a plate." Rayne nodded as she took the seat he pointed out, reaching for the coffee urn to pour a cup of much-needed energy. Tom came back to the table with a plate piled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. "Anna and Ben had to leave so they could head back to the hotel and get ready to leave, but Anna told me to tell you that they would see us later this evening. Agnes is going to drop me off at the hotel on her way in to work, then I'll come back for you. How does that sound?"

"That sounds fine. I'm already packed, I just need to make some more notes for the lecture."

Agnes nodded at a plate on the table. "You need to try those little polenta triangles that Anna made. They're fabulous!"

Rayne dutifully speared a couple with her fork and added them to her plate. "Have you got everything handled with the set for the next two days?" She looked around with a slight frown. "I feel like I'm forgetting something."

Agnes rolled her eyes, making Tom chuckle. "Young lady, you act like I'm too senile to function without you for a few days. I was doing this before you were thought of, and you should remember that." She poked Tom with a finger. "She always thinks she's forgetting something, but usually she isn't. She'll drive you crazy until she realizes it though, so fair warning."

Rayne just stuck her tongue out at Agnes and started eating as Tom and the older woman laugh. Soon, it was time for everyone to leave, and Tom stood up and leaned over to kiss Rayne.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours, luv."

Rayne nodded, standing up herself. "Ok, I'll be ready."

As everyone left, Rayne sat about cleaning up from breakfast, not wanting to leave a mess for Agnes or the girls. Besides, if she didn't clean up, Woof would have a full belly from scarfing up the scraps.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom waited in a small alcove around the corner from the entrance to the auditorium. He didn't want to draw attention to himself or distract the students from what Rayne had to say, so he wanted to wait until everyone was inside before sneaking into the back. Finally, he eased himself into a seat in the very back row and waited for Rayne to take the podium. He smiled as he remembered the very laid back trip here. Light traffic made the drive shorter, and the company was delightful. He straightened up a little when he saw Rayne walk out from the wings of the stage to a nice round of applause. After a brief introduction by the Dean of Fashion Studies, she sat at the edge of the stage, and waited for the audience to settle in - then, she hopped down and paced in front of the students as she quietly began her talk, with a smile.

"My name is Rayne Ellison. I'm sure you don't know my name but, you've seen my work. I mean, it's just behind the scenes stuff but... never mind it's not important. I'm leaving now..."

Half the students got it and laughed out loud, and some covered their mouths in shock. "That's what working on a movie or television show is like. Nobody sees you until their ass is hanging out of their pants or they need you to peel them out of their Spanx." Tom laughed along with the audience as Rayne paused for a moment to look out over the crowd. "I found my love of Art and design by needing to get out of my own head. I'm an orphan who grew up in a busy foster home. As a kid, I drew pictures of my ideal family, then as I got older, I began sketching nature studies and such. Sometimes, I'd go with my friends to the mall, and while they shopped and modeled outfits, I drew all the changes I could think of to make them more fun. Show of hands - who has a bedazzler?" Tom chuckled along with the crowd, "Awww, c'mon guys it's just us I won't tell... " He saw the same as Rayne, hands coming up reluctantly as if they were slightly embarrassed to admit to having such a machine. "I think I must have hundreds of notepads and sketchbooks filled with drawings and illustrations. But what really helped me understand why I had such an intense need to sew and create clothes was watching RuPaul's Drag Race. Between that and Queer Eye, I was in design geek heaven. Anybody watch Say Yes to The Dress and think of all the ways you'd change the wedding gown? Yeah? Thought so." She laughs along with the group. "Look, it's really simple. You're here because you have a dream to create something new and exciting, to take the old and mix it with the hottest trends, or better yet, be a trendsetter yourself. Why don't we take some questions and see what's on your mind?"

A hand in the front row shot up and Rayne pointed to them with a smile. "What was your first job?"

Rayne chuckled. "Oh, you may not believe me. I was a wardrobe apprentice on The Walking Dead. I busted my ass and made a lot of great connections through it. Next question?"

"What was your background like before becoming a wardrobe designer?"

Rayne considered the question for a moment before answering. "Well, like I said before I'm an orphan. My parents were killed when I was sixteen, and I jostled around to a few different foster homes before ending up with an amazing family. I just needed to escape, and art is my happy place. Right? Lots of you feel the same way. And because you're here, you've decided to share your lonely talents with the world."

"What is your job title now?"

Rayne laughed before replying to the young woman not far from where Tom was seated. She caught his eye for a moment and winked. "Well, I'm a partner in a design firm. We handle television and movies, but honestly? I'm still an apprentice. I think as long as you are learning something new every day, you never stop being one."

"Are you working on anything right now?"

Rayne nodded. "Yes, our firm is actually working on the new Marvel movie  _Infinity Wars."_ Everyone applauded as Rayne laughed. "Now, unfortunately, I wasn't able to bring any of the costumes with me today, but you'll see them soon enough."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom waited out in the hall after the lecture, only garnering a few strange looks as the students filed past him. He smiled when he saw Rayne walking his way, talking to a young woman, who was rapidly jotting down whatever Rayne was telling her. Once Rayne left the girl and came his way, he wound an arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss on the forehead.

"That was absolutely wonderful, darling. I was massively impressed."

Rayne smiled up at him. "Thank you. It was fun."

Tom looked around as they stepped outside into the afternoon sunshine and took a deep breath. "So, what do we do with ourselves now, darling? We can head to the island or take a stroll, perhaps get something to eat."

Rayne considered her choices. "Well, I'm not really hungry, but a nice cold drink would sure be nice." She pointed in the direction of a few pubs. "We can sip Chatham Artillery Punch as we amble our way around the Historic District."

Tom laughed and nodded. "As the lady wants."

Tom and Rayne spent a couple of hours lazily strolling through the historical district before deciding to head to Tybee Island and join their friends.


	14. Savannah Nights

 

"Savannah is the oldest city in the state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. It is Georgia's fifth largest city and third largest metropolitan area."

Tom just stared at Rayne in fascination as their driver chuckled. It had been her idea to follow a tour bus around town, assuring Tom that she could fill him in on the city. He had thought she was joking, but apparently, she knew what she was talking about. The more she spoke, the bigger his smile became.

"Each year Savannah attracts millions of visitors to its cobblestone streets, parks, and notable historic buildings: the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Lowe, the founder of The Girl Scouts, the Georgia Historical Society, and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex, the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in America."

Tom laughed as she finished, slowly clapping. "That was amazing, darling! How do you know all of that?"

Rayne just grinned and pointed at the tour bus in front of them. "I spent my free time from school riding around on one of those, giving that speech. Paid my way through college."

Tom shook his head before leaning in for a kiss. "You continue to surprise me, luv, you really do."

Rayne just shrugged, blushing a little. "I'm just me, Tom."

Tom kissed her again before shaking his head. "Perhaps, darling, but you? You are amazing."

Rayne leaned her head over on Tom's shoulder and breathed deeply in contentment as he told the driver to head to Tybee Island.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne woke from a nap as they were pulling into the drive of a beautiful beach house. They quickly grabbed their bags from the trunk of the car and Tom made arrangements to be picked up the next evening before they started up the walk to the house. As they reached the front door, they saw a note attached and Tom pulled it off.

_Welcome! Come on in and make yourself comfy. We'll join you shortly!_

Tom grinned and opened the door for Rayne to walk ahead of him into the foyer. As they sat their bags down, they heard a strange noise, almost like moaning, coming from upstairs. Tom and Rayne looked at each other then towards the stairs as they heard the noise again. Tom rolled his eyes as Rayne snorted in laughter and covered her mouth. Tom just shook his head and nodded toward the patio doors.

"How about a walk on the beach?"

Rayne just nodded and preceded him quickly across the living room, intent on getting out of the house.

Meanwhile, upstairs Benedict leaned against the doorframe to the master bedroom and considered his wife with a smile on his face.

"Anna, luv. What are you doing?"

Benedict found her legs in a full split on the wall steadying herself with the arms of a chair.

"Got a kink, so I'm stretching. Will you help me? I'd rather use your legs than the arms of this chair."

He walked across the room to where Anna was stretching. "Of course, my darling girl. Tell me what you need."

"Come closer, please. Ugggh! Yeah! That's nice, push harder please."

"Like this?"

"Yes! Yassss, just like that! Oh, it feels so much better that way!"

Ben looked toward the door. "Did you just hear something?"

Anna shrugged as she stretched her legs a little more. "No, but it could be Tom and Rayne. I left them a note on the front door to just come on in."

Benedict nodded as he turned his attention back to his wife. "I'm sure that's it then."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne looked down the boardwalk and shook her head in fascination. She turned to Tom and laughed. "This is on my list."

Tom looked at her consideringly. "What, luv?"

She waved a hand in the direction of the row of expensive beach houses. "That. I want one of those. Someday."

Tom just smiled and nodded. "Yes, they are rather nice, aren't they?" He winked at her. "I don't think you owning one of these will be a problem, and not that far into the future either. You seem to get what you want."

Rayne just smiled. "Not always. I have to work at it just like everyone else." Before Tom could reply, Rayne squealed and pointed out at the surf. "Did you see that?!"

Tom shook his head. "No, I didn't. What did I miss?"

Rayne turned an excited face his way. "Dolphins! They are my absolute favorite animal." She heard Tom sigh and looked to see him staring out at the horizon with a pensive look. "What's wrong, Tom?"

"I'm sorry."

Rayne turned to Tom with a frown. "Sorry about what?"

He sighed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I learned more about you today at that lecture than I ever knew. I'm sorry about that. I should have paid better attention." He pointed out at the waves. "I should have known that dolphins are your favorite animal."

Rayne returned his sigh as she stared out at the waves. "We were in two different relationships back then."

She could feel Tom's gaze on her as he turned to answer. "I'm not sure I follow, darling. How so?"

Rayne broke from his embrace and walked a few feet away to gather her thoughts. "I was... or I thought I was in a real relationship, but you were in a temporary one. Temporary relationships require very little knowledge of the other person." She turned to look at him. "You knew what you needed to know to get what you wanted. That's what was important to you then. Where I went to school or who my parents were didn't matter."

Tom sighed, looks away from Rayne as he cast his eyes downward and began self consciously fidgeting by stirring sand around with his foot. He shoved his hands into his pockets for a moment before slowly walking to her side. He turned her so she was facing him and gave her a small smile. "I want you to know that I'm ready for that real relationship now. That's why I've been moving so slow. I just didn't want the physical to get in the way of what we're building right now if that makes any sense," he shrugged. "We started out with a physical relationship, and that was all we shared between us. This time, I want there to be more. It will happen when it happens, of course, but... there are so many things I still want to learn about you. So many things that I  _need_  to know."

Rayne gave him a shy smile before looking away. "It's okay. I mean, I figured as much, but... Deep down I've wondered if things had changed for you, and you just didn't feel that connection anymore. You've definitely kept me guessing, Tom."

Tom stopped her speech with a long, slow kiss, only coming up for air when they both needed to breathe. He cradled her face tenderly as he spoke his next words:

"Don't ever think that I don't want you, Rayne. That will  _never_  be the case, darling." He kissed her again, a short one this time, before pulling her into his arms. "I probably want you more now than I ever did before. You'll never need to worry about that. This isn't like before because I've done a lot of soul-searching and my feelings get stronger every day. Getting to know all about you has been a revelation, but I did remember quite a few things..." She could feel him chuckle where her ear was pressed against his chest. "As a matter of fact... you do still have that same adventurous nature Rayne, darling - don't you?"

Rayne lifted her head and gave him a sassy grin. "Maybe. Depends on what you have in mind."

Tom grinned at her as he traced her cheekbone with one finger. "Well, you see... even though we've slept together on numerous occasions, there are several things we still have left to explore with each other. Are you game, darling?"

Rayne laughed before nipping the tip of Tom's finger. "I've never backed down from a challenge before."

Tom winked at Rayne before releasing her from his arms, only to take her hand in his as he led them back to the house. "Well then, will you trust me?"

Rayne nodded slowly, feeling like he was asking for more with his simple request. "I trust you, Tom."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they arrived back at the house, the smells coming from the kitchen were amazing and made Rayne's stomach growl. Tom and Rayne found Benedict and Anna in the kitchen, laughing and dancing around to the sound of Can't Stop The Feeling coming from the iPhone dock on the counter. When they saw Tom and Rayne standing in the doorway, chuckling, Ben turned the music down and laughed before motioning to the dining room.

"Tom, if you'll help me, Rayne can help Anna get everything dished up."

After Ben grabbed a roll of craft paper from a drawer, the men left to cover the table while Anna pulled a huge enamel platter from the cupboard. As she and Rayne scoop the seafood and veggies into the platter, she smiled at Rayne.

"How was your walk on the beach? I assumed that's where you two headed after arriving."

Rayne snickered as Anna pointed to a bowl of cut lemons on the counter. "Well, when we got here, you two seemed to be... busy, so we thought it was best if we scrammed for a while."

Anna stared at her in confusion for a moment, before bursting out into laughter. "Oh my god! That wasn't... I had a cramp in my leg and Benedict was helping me stretch it out." She stopped to think and then winked at Rayne. "I suppose it probably sounded like more."

Rayne just laughed and shook her head. "It definitely did."

Anna grinned as she hefted the platter while Rayne grabbed the lemons and a stack of napkins from the counter. They passed the guys on the way to the dining room as they were going back for the wine and glasses.

Soon, they were all laughing and eating with their hands, occasionally throwing bits of food at each other playfully. After they had finished all the food and most of the wine, they all cleaned up together before heading off to their separate bedrooms.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom stood looking out over the railing of the small terrace, watching the waves in the moonlight. They'd all been in bed for hours, but Tom just couldn't sleep, so he thought he would get up and think for a while. The thought of taking a run on the beach went through his mind before he heard movement from the room next door. His spirits lifted a little when he saw Rayne coming out onto the porch that both of their rooms faced. She was almost in front of him when she let out a small yelp, surprised to see him standing there in the dark. She grabbed her chest and laughed self-consciously.

"Oh! You scared me!"

Tom chuckled. "You couldn't sleep either, darling?"

Rayne shook her head. "No. I thought about taking a run to tire myself out."

Tom took her hand and drew her to him, kissing her on the forehead. "There's a jacuzzi on the deck downstairs if I remember correctly. I'm game if you are."

Rayne considered this information for a moment before answering. "But, what are we gonna wear?"

Tom grinned. "Bra and knickers are fine, darling."

"You're gonna wear a bra and knickers too, huh?" She laughed

"If that makes you happy, luv... I'll give it a go." Rayne laughed out loud and Tom pulled her into him to shush her, covering her mouth with his hand as he laughed quietly. "Come on, but let's be quiet about it, yeah?"

Together they snuck through the hall and wound their way down to the deck, first stopping in the kitchen to raid the wine rack. While Rayne sat about opening the wine, Tom turned on the jacuzzi, letting it get warm.

Tom turned from checking the water temperature to see Rayne stripping off her t-shirt over her head. He was struck dumb as he watched her in the moonlight, thinking to himself that she had never looked lovelier than she did right now. His gaze followed her hands as she pulled her leggings down her legs, kicking them off before bending down to pick them up and lay them on the chair with her shirt. She cocked a brow and he chuckled as he quickly pulled his own t-shirt off, following with his pajama pants.

Rayne walked over to where Tom was standing, running a hand over his chest before wrapping her arms around him and drawing him closer. She nuzzled her face into his chest before sighing. "Some things feel so familiar, but I suppose they should. We've been here before."

Tom let one hand rest on her hip as the other cradled her face, tipping her head back so that he could look into her eyes. He slowly shook his head. "No, darling, we've never been here before. This is new territory for us, even though it seems the same."

He took her hand and guided her to the jacuzzi, helping her to step in before joining her. Tom chuckled when she let out a quiet squeal as she sat down. "Wow, these jets are... invigorating." She shook her head and laughed. "Perhaps you should turn them down a notch or two."

Tom just shook his head as he glided through the water in front of her, letting his hands rest on the railing behind her as he nuzzled her ear with his nose before kissing her on the neck. "I think they're just fine, luv. The more you relax, the better it will feel. Trust me."

Rayne nodded her head as Tom kissed her, letting one of his hands wander, first at her neck, then moving lower until it rests lightly on her breast over her bra. He squeezed gently as his other hand stroked up and down her leg lightly. Rayne's head fell back and her eyes closed as Tom heard a quiet moan come from his girl. He grinned to himself as he used the hand on her leg to position her right over one of the more powerful jets.

Rayne's eyes popped open at the new sensation as she clutched Tom's shoulders with both hands. "Tom? I..."

Tom just grinned bigger and nodded his head. "I know, Rayne. Just relax and let go."

Rayne stared into his eyes for a moment before nodding and letting her eyes close again. Between Tom's hands and the water, Rayne found herself quickly surrendering to the sensations barrelling through her, unable to do anything but hold onto Tom and let them pull her under.

Tom wasn't unaffected himself. Watching the war of emotions play out on Rayne's face as she gave herself over to her orgasm was almost too much for him to bear. He was so hard, it was almost painful, but he couldn't drag himself away from watching her. The sounds she was making, breathy gasps and low moans, were enough to remind him of fevered nights of lovemaking into the early morning hours, neither ever feeling completely sated. He found his own breathing stuttering as Rayne let her head fall back and her whole body relaxed against his.

Tom gently moved her hair from her face as she breathed heavily into his shoulder. After a minute or two, she seemed to come back to herself a bit, smiling tiredly up at him. "That was... amazing."

Tom chuckled as he kissed her shoulder and pulled her into his arms, making her comfortable in his lap. "I'm glad, darling. Do you think you can sleep now?"

Rayne nodded before nuzzling into his neck. "I think so, yes." She lifted her head to give him a confused look. "But... well, you didn't... "

Tom just snickered and shook his head. "No, I didn't. I was too busy watching you, my love. Don't worry about me."

They sat quietly for a bit before Rayne chuckled. "I think that's the first time that's ever happened with my clothes on."

Tom laughed as he moved her out of his lap and stood up to help her out of the jacuzzi. "Well, darling, I've learned a few things since we were together last." He winked at her as he swooped down to give her a smacking kiss on the lips. "Stick with me. I'll show you all kinds of new things."


	15. Friendly Persuasion

 

Rayne slowly woke up, opening her eyes to the bright sunshine flooding her bedroom. She moved to get out of bed but found herself pinned down by something pretty heavy. She turned her head slightly and saw Tom's bed head curls lying on her chest. She grinned as she poked him in the shoulder, which got no response whatsoever so she pulled on his hair until he grunted in response.

"Hmmm?"

"How did you end up here?"

Tom lifted his head and looked around for a moment before trying to focus on Rayne's face. "What darling?"

Rayne sighed and shook her head. "I went to bed alone."

Tom cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly at her before nodding. "Yes, you did, but I thought that you might be lonely in a strange house, so I cuddled up with you." He stretched up and kissed her lightly. "I hope that's alright with you."

Rayne snickered as she stretched, inadvertently kneeing Tom in the crotch. As he winced, her eyes widened a fraction when she felt how hard he was. Pretending to not notice, she stroked his face with the back of her hand. "Such a gentleman. I really should repay your kindness."

She ran a hand down his chest and before he realized what she was doing, she grasped his cock through his boxers. He clenched the sheet in one hand as the other tightened on her waist, his face buried in her neck as he gave a low moan. "Ohhh, god! Rayne... "

Rayne leaned in to nip at his earlobe, something she knew that he loved, whispering in his ear for good measure. "Just relax, baby. Let go."

Tom answered with something that sounded close to a sob as his hand flexed convulsively on her waist. "Rayne, darling. I don't know how long I can... "

Rayne just shushed him and continued to stroke him through the light fabric of his pants, easily falling back into the rhythm that they used to share. Soon, Tom was moaning freely, enjoying the morning attention from Rayne. Suddenly, Tom's whole body tensed up then relaxed as he melted into Rayne, laying heavily on top of her with his face still buried in her neck. Finally, after several minutes, Tom lifted his head to look at Rayne and she was struck by the look on his face. Tom had the serene, sated expression a man got only when he was totally blissed out. She had to swallow hard, thinking that she didn't realize how much she had missed putting that look on Tom's face.

"That was amazing, darling. You didn't have to, but I'm happy you did."

Rayne chuckled and Tom laughed along with her. They lay there together for a little while longer, finally deciding to get showered and changed. As they got up, Tom leaned in for another kiss. "I'll meet you back here and then we'll go in search of food."

Rayne nods and went to the ensuite to shower. She wasn't sure what all the day would hold, but it sure started off well enough.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom and Rayne walked into the kitchen to find Anna and Benedict puttering around and sharing a laugh. Benedict growled playfully in Anna's ear just before she looked up to greet their guests with a smile.

"There you two are! We were about to send a search party to come get you. Great timing, though - Brunch is just ready."

Rayne looked up at Tom with a smile of her own as the couples moved into the dining room and took their seats. The sight of the brioche french toast and sausage made Rayne's eyes widen with delight, not to mention the absolutely yummy looking fruit salad and mimosas. As they passed generously loaded platters and served each other, Tom filled Anna and Benedict in on their plans to head back to Atlanta later that evening. Benedict nodded while he chewed and swallowed his bite of french toast.

"Ok. Anna and I thought we might take a walk down the beach if the weather holds, perhaps have a picnic this afternoon if you two would like to join us."

Tom nodded as Rayne smiled at the other couple. "That sounds fantastic."

Anna grinned. "It's a shame you can't stay longer, Rayne. Do you have a lot of work to catch up on?"

Rayne shook her head as she took a sip of her mimosa. "No. Actually, I'm headed back to L.A. in the morning. I have a few meetings that I just can't delegate away, plus I'm meeting with our accountant and lawyer to look over some contracts."

Anna nodded understandingly. "How long will you be gone?" She pointed at Tom with a wink. "I know this one will miss you."

Rayne chuckled at the blush on Tom's cheeks. "Only a few days. I'll be back before he has a chance to miss me."

Tom just gave her a small smile and took her hand. Benedict threw his napkin down with a groan. "That was an amazing meal. I propose that you two ladies go relax on the deck while Tom and I clean up."

The ladies readily agreed with a laugh and left the men to kitchen duty. As they took seats on the deck, Rayne shook her head with a chuckle. "This place is amazing. Do you own it?"

Anna shook her head as she sipped from a bottle of water. "No, my brother does, but we use it as much as he does."

Rayne chuckled. "Well, it's great. I hope to have something like this one day. Somewhere to go and recharge."

Anna grinned. "Well, you're welcome here anytime, sweetie."

"Thank you. I'll certainly keep that in mind."

"You know, it's been great getting to know you, Rayne. I hope you don't mind me saying that it's comforting to know that you're such a lovely lady. I don't know the entire backstory, but you and Tommy have been through a lot, haven't you?"

"We're finding our way back to each after an amazing affair that burned bright but just sort of sputtered and went nowhere. We went our separate ways but I don't think we ever really stopped thinking about each other. If that makes any sense." Rayne turned to Anna with a smile.

"Actually, it really does make sense. It wouldn't surprise me if thoughts about your first go 'round were entirely different than his because he wasn't sure about much back then. You scared him, you know." Anna chuckled dryly. "He probably wasn't capable of accepting what you had to offer back then, but boy-oh-boy... he's more than ready to be a better man nowadays. And frankly, I couldn't be happier for you both." Anna reached out for Rayne's hand. "Not to sound selfish, sweetie, but it's gonna be nice having another gal around."

Rayne took Anna's hand and nodded shyly. "Thank you. I've enjoyed getting to know you too. I'm not used to a lot of sharing my feelings and things like that. But, this has been a good experience for me. I'm usually a very solitary thinker. I think that's how I got into running. Just lace up your shoes and head out. Even in city traffic, it's soothing in an odd way."

Anna's eyes lit up as she nodded in agreement. "Me too. But, of course, I decided to take it to another level and began long distance training."

Rayne felt a glimmer of self-recognition which made her laugh out loud.

"I was like Forrest Gump, honey. I just kept  _RUNNING..._!" Anna chuckled, then sighed thoughtfully as she considered her next words. "Sometimes, I was running from myself, though. My brothers and I were shattered when our parents passed away. Things got heavy and I needed to get out of my own head. I had all this sadness and grief with no outlet. Pounding the pavement seemed better than just losing it. So, that's what I did. Do you have anything in your life like that, Rayne? Your art, maybe?"

"Yeah." Rayne nodded. "I never thought about it, but yeah... I needed a way to express myself without breaking into tiny pieces. Drawing seemed most natural for me. The more I drew and painted the more I found myself. Some people keep diaries, I have sketchpads. Even as an adult." Rayne shook her head and shrugged. "My parents died in a house fire. I had spent the night at my friend Mary Sue Decker's house the night it happened." She paused for a beat before continuing. "Long as I live, I'll never forget the look on Mrs. Decker's face when she told me the news." She shrugged off the apparently still painful memories and gave a small grin. "The interesting thing is now I've incorporated that angst into my work. Some of my best fantasy designs have come when I've needed a way to vent without being messy."

Rayne looked at Anna to find her smiling, eyes closed and shaking her head.

"That's a look, Anna." Rayne pointed to her new friend. "What's on your mind?"

"Let's get a little more sun, and I'll tell you," Anna winked.

Anna pulled herself to her feet and led Rayne to a sunnier corner of the deck away from the sliding doors. The ladies settled in on a curved bench each tucking their legs beneath them as they made themselves comfortable.

"Okay so, here's the thing... I kinda assume that there'll be times when we'll be seeing a lot of each other but mostly not so much."

"That's probably very true, Anna."

"I just want you to know that you've got a friend. Not just the photo-op, air kiss kind - but someone you can on call anytime. Okay...?"

Rayne smiled and nodded. "Okay, and thank you. A friend is never a bad thing." She sighed and looked away for a moment before continuing. "I have a feeling I won't be seeing Tom as much either once filming is finished. Our schedules..." She shook her head and turned back to Anna. "How do you and Ben handle it? I mean, it's hard enough trying to figure it out when you're just dating, but marriage? That has to be harder still."

"Ugh! - we're both so damned geeky and habitual!! It can be frustrating at times, but at the end of the day, it helps keep us grounded. When we're together in the same place, we always go outside to watch the sun rise or set. It's a silly old thing to do, but it brings us back to ourselves." Anna covered her face with her hands and laughed self consciously. Rayne smiled watching Anna make the same gesture she'd seen Benedict make, himself.

"My wonky skill set has worked well for me. Well, for us... I can work pretty much anywhere there's WiFi since my teaching duties are live streamed. Sometimes my therapy sessions are too. That frees me up to travel when I need to, but not always, of course. Basically, we try very hard to not let neither his work or mine crowd us out of each other's life."

Rayne shook her head. "That's the trick, isn't it? Making room for another. I've never done that, not really, but I've never had to." She laughed then. "It will be a challenge, that's for sure."

Anna laughed along with her. "Yeah, but that's true of everyone, not just us. You take one day at a time, and it works itself out. I promise."

Rayne just nodded, thinking that there was never truer words spoken.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I have to say, I've never seen you look this happy and generally content with life."

Tom laughed as he handed Ben another plate for the dishwasher. "I'm telling you, life is pretty bloody good right now, mate."

Ben nodded in agreement as he shut the door of the dishwasher and leaned against the counter. "I can see that. Are you ready for the first test?"

Tom lifted a brow at that and mimicked Ben's posture. "What would that be? I'm already abstaining from sex until the right time. Isn't that test enough?"

Ben chuckled and shook his head. "Nope, that's just being a gentleman. The test comes tomorrow morning when Rayne gets on that plane. You've been in each other's pockets for a while now. Are you prepared?"

Tom sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He had been thinking about nothing but for a few days now. "Honestly? I don't know. It's not like she isn't coming back. It will be hard, but yeah, I think I'm as prepared as I'll ever be." He gave Ben a sad smile. "That's not the big one, anyway. That'll come when  _I_ have to leave."

Ben nodded and studied his feet for a minute. "If you want my opinion, I think you two will be fine. You've already made it through from last time so, you both know exactly what you don't want. Now, you'll just have to figure out what it is you do want.  _Yeah_?"

"I guess I'd never thought of it in that way before. But yes, I suppose you're right, Ben."

The men clapped each other on the shoulder and smiled.

"I know one thing, my friend - I sure wouldn't bet against the two of you making a go of things this time."

"Thanks, mate." Tom smiled shyly and chuckled. "Looking forward to proving you right." 


	16. Sunshine And Straight Jackets

 

"Have you got everything?"

Before Rayne could answer, Tom came walking into the kitchen. "Everything but me."

Rayne laughed as Agnes rolled her eyes, walking over to receive a hug and kiss. "What are you doing here?"

Tom gave her an extra squeeze before turning her loose. "I thought I'd take you to the airport. Wait with you."

Rayne shook her head. "Yeah, that's a bad idea."

Tom frowned as he followed her to the coffee pot. "And why is that?"

Agnes snorted in amusement, earning herself a glare from Tom. "You really don't know?" She shook her head as she handed Tom the cream for Rayne's coffee. "She goes by herself, she's under the radar. She goes with you, it will be on the six o'clock news." She waved a hand at him. "You are not hard to notice."

Rayne snickered at the look on Tom's face before she reached up a hand to turn his head to face her. "I didn't think we were ready to go public just yet."

Tom chewed on his lip for a moment before reluctantly nodding. "I suppose. I just... I guess I didn't give it much thought. I simply wanted to see you off, that's all."

Rayne stretched up to give him a peck on the lips that had Agnes making gagging noises.

"Can't you guys do that in private?"

Tom finally broke into a smile as he grabbed Rayne's hand and began pulling her from the kitchen.

"You're absolutely right, Agnes. My apologies."

Rayne broke into a sudden burst of giggles as Tom led them up the stairs to her bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Tom chuckled as he circled his arms around Rayne and buried his face in her neck.

"Tom! What are you doing? I have to leave very soon."

Tom looked down at his watch then back at Rayne with a gleam in his eyes. "We have an hour before you have to check in. That gives me plenty of time to give you something to remember me by."

Before Rayne could give a response, Tom was giving her a long, deep kiss that made her toes curl. He finally came up for air, running a finger down the side of her face. "I'm going to miss you, darling."

Rayne looked up to give Tom a slightly sad smile as she threaded her fingers through his hair. "It won't be that long. I'll be back before you know it." She gave him a kiss just as they heard knocking at the door. Tom growled in annoyance at the interruption, but Rayne giggled.

"Come on, you two! Daylight's burning!" Agnes huffed.

Rayne snickered as Tom muttered curses under his breath in response to being cajoled through the bedroom door. They defiantly allowed themselves five minutes more of kissing and cuddling before heading back downstairs at a decidedly slower pace than they had left the living room. When they reached the front door, Tom took Rayne into his arms once more, brushing a soft kiss on the forehead as he cradled her close to his chest.

"Text me when you get there, alright?"

Rayne nodded as she reluctantly pulled away. "I will. I promise."

Agnes clucked at both of them. "Good lord, you two act like she's going to the gallows. It's just L.A. Granted, it sometimes amounts to the same thing... but still - she'll be back in a few days." She pointed to the door with a no-nonsense look on her face. "Out you go, both of you." Agnes flapped her wrist at the duo in an effort to hurry them along. "Don't look so forlorn, Romeo. I'll see you on set soon as I drop Juliet off at the airport."

"Yes Ma'am," Tom grinned.

"Damn right. Now, git..." Agnes nodded and gave Tom a saucy wink.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ms. Ellison, do you have time for an extra appointment?"

Rayne sighed as she looked at her watch. "I have thirty minutes until Mr. Emerson will be here."

Sally nodded and gave her a small grin. "The gentleman says that it won't take very long."

Rayne nodded before sitting up straight in her desk chair. "Alright, show him in."

She tried, she hoped successfully, to hold in the gasp of shock she felt when Sam Elliott strode into her office, handsome as she'd ever imagined sporting a gentle smile, offering to shake hands. Everyone that worked for her knew that she had been beyond excited when she managed to land the contract for _The Ranch_  because Sam had always been one of her favorite actors. Rayne quickly rose to her feet, and respectfully held out a hand for him to take as he stopped in front of her desk.

"Mr. Elliott, it's a real honor, sir!"

Sam chuckled and shook his head as they both sat. "Sam, please, and the honor is mine. You're making quite a name for yourself. I was hoping to finally meet you on one of these trips into town. Nice to have a chance to put a face to the voice."

Rayne smiled and nodded. "It's great to have you here. When we finalized the contract for  _The Ranch_ , I was hoping that I'd get the chance to meet you. I'm a big fan."

Sam just nodded and grinned, and Rayne couldn't help the little excited fangirl flutter in her stomach. She felt like a teenager faced with her first crush. Sam casually leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs before speaking:

"I wonder if you would allow an old man to take you to lunch."

Rayne looked down at her tablet, shook her head, and sighed. "I would love to, but I'm tied up in meetings for the rest of the day."

Sam nodded, then tilted his head to the side, considering her. "How 'bout dinner then? I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Rayne agreed readily, thinking that there weren't many things she'd rather do. "That sounds wonderful. Where'd you have in mind, and what time should I be there?"

"You like seafood?" At her nod, he continued. "How about Providence. 8 p.m.?"

Both Rayne and Sam stood to offer each another handshake as Rayne rounded her desk to escort Sam to the door. "That sounds great. I'll see you then."

Sam winked at her and smiled as he opened the door. "Well then, it's a date."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne waded through a growing crowd of Hollywood elites and other assorted beautiful people waiting to be seated for their much-coveted reservations as the paparazzi buzz around taking pictures. She found Sam near the entrance patiently waiting for her to run the gauntlet. This had been a long day of meetings with the lawyers and accountants, yielding one interesting and quite surprising piece of news. Apparently, Rayne's parents had kept a safe deposit box at a bank in the small town where she had grown up. There was a mixup when the bank switched from paper over to a new computer system and their box had essentially been lost until last week. Now, Rayne needed to do something she hadn't done in years - visit her hometown.

Sam smiled when he saw Rayne navigating through the crowd, holding out a hand to pull her to his side as she approached. "Whew! There's quite the crowd this evening," she chuckled.

Sam nodded as they made their way inside. "Yeah, I didn't realize it would be this busy, but there's a movie premier down the street, so..."

Once seated, they ordered dinner and drinks. When their wine arrived, the sommelier politely poured and left them to enjoy with her compliments. Sam and Rayne settled in as they sipped their wine and enjoyed people watching for a while before Sam sighed and looked at her. "You know what's strange?" Rayne tilted her head and looked at him in confusion. "You are the spitting image of Aggie when she was younger."

Rayne chuckled. "Well, that would be strange, since we aren't related in any way."

Sam nodded. "Agreed, but there it is." He shrugged and raised his glass.

Rayne snickered. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone refer to Agnes as "Aggie"."

Sam laughed loud enough to make the people at the next table turn and stare. "Well, I think I'm probably the only one that ever had the balls to, even Charlie." He furrowed his brow and lowered his voice as he spoke his next words in a serious tone. "I was sorry to hear about his passing. He was a good man."

Rayne nodded, looking down at her plate. "He was. After my parents died, and I graduated from college, he and Agnes were like a second set of parents."

Sam nodded thoughtfully, sitting quietly for a little while before his smile returned. "Well, I guess I should get to the reason we're here, not that a great meal and your fine company aren't enough." Rayne laughed and he continued. "The long and short of it is... I'd like to know what my chances of getting back with Aggie would be. I mean, does she have someone special, or maybe anyone she's interested in right now?"

Rayne looked at him for a moment before bursting out into laughter. "Oh my god, you're asking me if you can court her! Like the old days."

Sam pointed a finger at her in mock anger before grinning sheepishly. "Now, don't you start with that " _old days_ " bullshit, young lady." Sam threw his head back and laughed. "I just want to know the lay of the land, so to speak."

Rayne tried hard to get her snickering under control, finally finding success after a sip of wine. "Ok, I'm sorry. No, there isn't anyone standing in your way... except, maybe Agnes herself."

Sam just smiled and winked at her. "Well, now, she's never been an obstacle before." He again turned serious. "I didn't do right by Aggie when it counted, but I'd like to do that now if she'll let me."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hello?"

"Is there something you need to tell me, darling?"

Rayne chuckled as she kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet under her on the couch. "Yes. I miss you terribly."

She heard the low rumble of Tom's laughter through the line and it made her smile. "I miss you just as terribly, Rayne. Anything else? Anything...  _new_?"

Rayne snickered. "Yes, as a matter of fact. Can you tell Agnes that I'll be detained an extra day? I need to make a stop in Alabama."

"Of course I can do that, darling, but I feel that perhaps there's still more you need to share?"

Rayne chewed on her lip. "Ok, ok. I met my celebrity crush today. Had dinner with him."

"Ah, now we're getting to the meat of the conversation. I already knew that, actually. You're all over the tabloids. The media is wondering whether Mr. Elliott has entered into a May/December relationship. He hasn't, has he?"

Rayne laughed out loud, throwing her head back in amusement. "Oh no, that's far from the case. I do think that he has a December/December romance in mind, though."

Tom laughed, making Rayne smile bigger. "Well, I have to say that I'm happy to hear that, darling. I'm afraid that he's the one man I could lose you to easily."

"Well, I don't think you have cause to worry." She paused for a moment. "Have I mentioned that I miss you?"

"You have, but I don't mind hearing it again. Why do you have to prolong your trip?"

Rayne sighed as she leaned back against the couch. "My parents had a safe deposit box and I have to go clean it out, so yeah, I have to make a quick stop in Alabama long enough to take care of that."

"Well, I have to tell you, that I have taken to sleeping with Woof so that I'll miss you a little less."

Rayne chuckled at the mental picture that invoked. "He's let you into my bed? Voluntarily?"

Tom laughed. "Well, I just showed him who was the dominant male. All animals recognize an Alpha male when they see one, it seems."

"I'm sure that's true. I won't have to fight him for my spot will I?"

"Oh no, darling. We've had a very long conversation, and have definitely declared an understanding for when mummy comes home."

"Well, that's good to know."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ms. Ellison, I want to apologize once again for this grievous error on our part."

Rayne nodded and smiled pleasantly at the manager of Small Town Bank as they walked down a long hallway toward the room where the safe deposit boxes were kept.

"It's quite alright, Mr. Preston. I was just surprised to find out about this after all these years."

"To be quite candid, if we hadn't been required to perform an internal audit, our mistake may have never been found. Thankfully it as, and we can begin to make things right."

He motioned for her to follow him into a heavily secured, brightly lit room containing row upon row of double locked boxes within its walls. He removed a set of keys from a sealed envelope in the breast pocket of his sports coat and quickly set about locating the box in question, removing it from its place among the many. He ferried the box to a table in the middle of the room and motioned for Rayne to join him. He unlocked the box and slid it to her, giving her a small smile.

"I'll leave you to it, then. Let me know when you're through."

Rayne shook her head. "There's no need to leave. I'll just photograph the contents and sort through everything with my lawyer later if that's ok." Rayne looked down at her watch. "I'm afraid I have a flight to catch."

Mr. Preston nodded and watched with rapt attention as Rayne quickly removed a stack of papers, used her phone to photograph them, then placed them into large yellow envelopes. He initialed and dated each envelope and Rayne put them into a pouch in her messenger bag. When she was done, he replaced the box in the wall and followed her out of the room. "If you'll just sign some paperwork Ms. Ellison, our business today will be concluded."

Rayne smiled and nodded as they walked back to the manager's office. "I'll be happy to sign for receipt of the contents. I'd appreciate if you'd fax anything additional to my lawyer for approval. I really must be going. There's someone waiting for me at my destination."

"Very good, Ms. Ellison. It's been a pleasure serving you today."

"You're very welcome, Mr. Preston. Have a wonderful day."

When Rayne turned on her personal phone, she saw several missed calls and decided to return the most important caller, unfortunately, her only option at the moment is voicemail, but she was more than happy to leave this particular message:

"Hello Tom, my Ûber is just pulling up to the curb. That means I'll see you in less than four hours. See you soon..."

Rayne took her seat in the back of a comfy compact car and sighed as she closed the door. She took in the sights of the Main Street of her hometown as they whizzed past in a blur. She smiled all the way to the airport, looking forward to being greeted by Tom at her journey's end. 


	17. Reality Bites

 

Rayne walked into the silent house and took a moment to appreciate being back before trudging warily up the stairs to her bedroom. The flight from Alabama had been short but delayed by bad weather, so she had spent quite a while in the airport lounge. She sat down on the bed and pulled her cell from her pocket, hitting Agnes's speed dial. She grinned when she heard four feet barreling up the stairs and then saw Woof running through the door to jump on the bed. She was still laughing when Agnes answered the phone.

"Are you back?"

Rayne rolled her eyes at the annoyed tone in Agnes's voice. "Well, hello to you too. Yeah, I'm back. I'm just going to grab a shower then I'll be in."

"Ok, take your time. I'll tell Romeo you're back in town. I've only seen him every hour on the hour since he arrived this morning."

Rayne snickered. "Alright. I'll be there soon."

She hung up and headed for the bathroom to shower, leaving Woof laying on the bed. Twenty minutes later, she walked out wrapped in a towel, noticing that Woof had disappeared into another part of the house. She shrugged, absently hoping that Agnes thought to shut her bedroom door before leaving this morning. Rayne heard the sound of footfalls running up the stairs and her first thought was to laugh at how much energy Woof had today, only to look up at Tom as he came running into her bedroom. He smiled at her with a slight smirk as he advanced on her position.

"Bloody hell! I was hoping I'd get here before you were through." He shrugged as he wrapped one long arm around her waist and drew her against him dramatically. "But, I can definitely work with what's here."

Rayne slapped a hand to his chest and lifted a brow. "Why, Mr. Hiddleston, that has to be the most romantic thing I've ever heard. Really."

Tom tilted his head back and laughed before looking at her again, this time with a look so hot, she felt herself sweating. "You want romance, darling? Very well." He released Rayne to go down on his knees in front of her. "If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die."

Rayne grinned at him as she ran a hand through his hair. "That was a pretty decent attempt."

Tom scooted forward on his knees, grinning up at her as he let his hands grasp the backs of her thighs. "Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love."

Rayne stared down at him with wide eyes, wondering if that was indeed his way of declaring love or just a quote that he liked. Either way, she decided to ignore it as she pulled on his hair, trying to get him to stand back up. She cleared her throat as Tom gave her a knowing look before getting to his feet and taking her back into his arms.

"Do you know how much I've missed you, darling?"

Rayne grinned up at him and winked, causing him to chuckle. "I think you should show me."

Tom claimed her lips with his in a deep kiss before breaking the kiss and moaning against her neck. "I don't have enough time to show you just how much I've missed you, luv." He nipped her gently with his teeth just below her ear and her knees almost buckled. "Have dinner with me tonight."

Rayne considered his offer before nodding. "I have a better idea. After work tonight, why don't we order a pizza, grab a nice bottle of wine, and hide out up here." She moaned as he nipped her earlobe. "I'll even let you lock Woof out."

Tom chuckled in her ear before backing up a step or two. "Ok, but why don't we do this in my suite? Bring a bag with what you'll need tomorrow and perhaps I might have the privilege of welcoming you back properly." He winked before walking over to sit down on the bed and lean back on his arms. "Maybe weI'll even have pudding." Tom waggled a randy brow.

Rayne shook her head as she took a shirt and a pair of jeans out of her bureau. "Are you just going to sit there and watch me get dressed?"

Tom seemed to consider the question seriously, his head tilted back while he stared at the ceiling. Finally, he looked at her and winked. "Yes, yes I am. I'm sure you're just as sexy putting them on as you are when I'm taking them off."

Rayne rolled her eyes and growled at him, making him laugh as she pulled her lingerie drawer open to choose a bra. She turned to find his eyes following her every move and blushed slightly as she tightened the towel around her chest.

"Tom, seriously. I can't do this with you watching."

Tom crooked a finger at Rayne, motioning her to come to him. She shook her head and sighed as she crossed the room to stand in front of him. He reached out to take her clothes out of her arms and gently took hold of the edge of her towel, pulling her between his legs. He took her hand in his, lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of it, then grinned at her.

"Rayne darling, you can't really be serious?" Tom shrugged. "It's not as if we've not been intimate in the past. I can even remember you performing a very sexy striptease for me on a couple of occasions." He grinned at her, eyes sparkling. "That's all this is, just in reverse."

Rayne blew out a breath before cracking a small smile. "You aren't going to laugh?"

Tom put a hand over his heart. "I swear, I would never laugh at you when you're doing something that I've asked for or any other time for that matter. Scouts honor, darling." Tom held up three fingers and nodded slightly. "You can even turn your back if it helps at all. I'm nothing if not flexible."

Rayne snorted at that as she gathered her clothes, laying them on top of the bureau before turning her back to him. She took a deep breath and let her towel slide down her back, over her hips and drop to the floor, smirking to herself when she heard Tom's quick inhale and then his almost-silent moan. When Rayne picked up her panties and bent over to pull them up her legs, she snuck a peek over her shoulder as she stood back upright. She saw Tom leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, completely absorbed in what she was doing with his mouth slightly agape and a rapt look on his face to match.

Rayne grinned as she picked up her bra and slowly fastened it, thinking that this was indeed a new experience. She'd never have thought this would keep Tom's attention as it had. She decided on the spot to file this memory away for future use as she bent down to pull her jeans on over her feet and up her legs. After she pulled her t-shirt over her head, she finally turned to Tom to find him sitting with his head in his hands.

Rayne snorted as she went to her closet in search of a pair of sandals. "Are you alright, Tom?"

He nodded, his face still covered by his hands. "Yes, darling. Just praying."

Rayne smirked again. "Praying for what?"

Tom sighed as he lifted his head to look at her. "Praying that I can keep my self-control." Rayne laughed and took a step his way, but he threw a hand out. "No! If you plan on getting to the set today, you'll stay right where you are."

Rayne laughed out loud and shrugged a shoulder. "I'll just go see if Woof needs to go out before we go."

Tom nodded quickly, looking a bit relieved. "Yes! Yes, you go do that. I'll be ready shortly."

Rayne snickered and shook her head as she left the bedroom to head downstairs, calling for Woof as she went. By the time she had him back inside and fed, Tom was crossing the threshold into the kitchen with a small zippered tote bag that he offered with a flourish.

"Here - I've packed you some clothes for tomorrow."

Rayne lifted a brow and immediately checked out the contents, quite satisfied with what he'd chosen, but then gave Tom a look. "There's no nightgown."

Tom winked at her as he put a hand on the small of her back to lead her out to the car. "Well, no, darling. I didn't think you'd be needing one."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, it's about damn time you two graced us with your presence. I should've known better than to send him after you."

Rayne grinned at Agnes when they walked in the door. The shop was a hive of activity, just like Rayne liked it. She turned to Tom to give him a kiss. "Ok, well, come get me when you're through for the day."

Tom grinned at her and stole a second kiss as Agnes smacked him on the behind. "I will, luv. Have a great day."

Agnes snorted at that. "What's left of it, anyway."

Rayne rolled her eyes as the door shut behind Tom. She turned to Melanie and reached into her messenger bag to remove several envelopes. "Can you please send these by FedEx to the law firm? Next day, if possible."

Melanie nodded as she took the envelopes and headed for the door. Agnes scratched her head and looked at Rayne. "What's that about?"

Rayne sighed as she sat down at her desk. "My parents had a safe deposit box that I didn't know about. That's the contents. I'm sending them to the lawyers so they can wade through all of it."

"You didn't look at any of it? You could be a millionaire and not even know it."

Rayne just chuckled as she turned on her tablet. "Well, if that's the case, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough. Ok, where are we? What's on our list of things to do?"

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne grinned as Tom pulled the cork from a bottle of wine while she set the pizza box on the coffee table. Tom nodded at the television on the wall across from the couch. "Why don't you find something for us to watch, while I grab some glasses and napkins for us, darling?"

Rayne nodded as she scooped up the remote from the coffee table. She snuck another look at Tom out of the corner of her eye while scanning the channel guide. She didn't know what was up, but he'd been nervous ever since he had picked her up at the shop. She was sure something was on his mind but didn't know yet what it could possibly be. She knew that given some time, he'd tell her, but until then she'd just have to play it by ear. Rayne watched Tom as he walked toward her. He was balancing two glasses of wine as he strode into the living room to join her on the sofa, gallantly passing her a glass as he took a seat beside her. He set down his glass, clasped his hands together and wrung them for a moment before he looked at her with a distracted smile. Finally, after a few tense minutes, Rayne shook her head and softly laid a hand on his arm.

"Tom, normally I'd let you work through whatever's bothering you on your own, but you're making me a nervous wreck. So, what's wrong?"

Tom reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I'm sorry, darling. I swear nothing is wrong, I just have something I want to say to you and I've been puzzling over it all day."

Rayne nodded, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. "Well, if it's bothering you this much, maybe it can wait until you've got it figured out."

Tom looked at her with the first genuine smile since he had picked her up. "No, darling, I think I need to do it now, I just don't know how you'll take it."

Rayne exhaled slowly before laying a hand on Tom's cheek and looking into his eyes. "Well, you won't know unless you say it."

Tom closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Then, he opened them and looked directly at Rayne. "I realized the first night you were gone that I missed you. So much in fact that I tried to think back to the first time we were together, but couldn't." Tom scratched the top of his head before continuing. "That's when I realized that I couldn't because I've never felt this deeply for someone before now, not even you. That night, I came to the realization that I love you... that I've fallen in love with you.  _All of you..._ not just your body, but your heart and your mind as well. I also realized that the ache I felt wasn't from lust or even sadness, but from the longing to just be wherever you are."

Rayne looked at him with tears in her eyes, but a small smile gracing her lips as she nodded, agreeing with what he'd said. "I love you too, Tom. I have forever it seems. There's just one thing wrong with what you said." Tom frowned but didn't interrupt, instead wanting to hear what she had to say. "Wherever I am, wherever you are, we are together." She took his hand and laid it on her heart before continuing. "You are always with me, always, no matter where we are."

Tom looked at her with his own unshed tears shining in his eyes. "I feel the same way love."

For the rest of the evening, they ate, then snuggled together under a blanket to watch a movie. Later, when they retired for the night, Tom laid beside Rayne, looking at her with new eyes. No more would he have to wonder if he would ever have that love that everyone searched for. He had her, and she had him, and he had no doubt that come what may, they could face anything as long as they did so together.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Two Days Later_

Agnes looked up from fixing the hem of Dr. Strange's cape when the door opened to see her and Rayne's lawyer, Mr. Emerson, come walking into the shop with one of the junior partners trailing obediently behind. The older man, who had been her personal lawyer for at least forty years, gave her an uneasy smile and nodded his head.

"Mrs. Hamilton."

Agnes returned the gesture. "Mr. Emerson. What brings you to Georgia? On vacation?"

He shook his head. "Oh, how I wish I were. Would you happen to know where Ms. Ellison is? We need to speak with her as soon as possible. I have a very delicate matter to discuss with her."

Agnes looked at her watch and nodded. "Yeah, she should be back any minute. She's been in a meeting with CGI all morning."

Just then, Rayne came striding into the room, typing something on her tablet. She looked up to speak to Agnes and noticed Mr. Emerson standing there. She nodded to him, a wary look on her face.

"Mr. Emerson. This is a surprise. What are you doing in Georgia, of all places?"

He cleared his throat and nodded to her. "Ms. Ellison. Is there somewhere we can have a few words in private? I'm afraid I have some... sensitive news to discuss with you."

She nodded slowly. "Sure. We can use the conference room. It's just down the hall." Rayne pointed over her shoulder.

The lawyer briefly consulted with his associate, then turned to Agnes. "Perhaps you should join us, Mrs. Hamilton. Ms. Ellison may need your support."


	18. Blurred Lines

 

Rayne shot Mr. Emerson a look as he shut the conference door and joined them at the long table.

"Look, Mr. Emerson, I appreciate a good cloak and dagger game as well as the... "

"This is no game, Ms. Ellison. I wish it were." He sighed as he slid a paper across the table to her. "I'm not going to beat around the bush, ladies. While cataloging the files you sent us, we found several interesting things. Stock certificates, a deed to a house in L.A., and... adoption papers."

Rayne was looking at the paper in front of her, but couldn't for the life of her, process what he was saying. "I don't understand... adoption papers for who?"

Mr. Emerson looked down at his hands clasped together on the table and sighed. "Yours, Rayne." He pointed to the paper in front of her. "Born August 28th, 1982, baby girl, adopted by Carl and Renee Ellison on September 2nd, 1982... They named you Rayne. There is no other name on record."

Rayne just sat staring at the paper in front of her as she tried to make sense of what the lawyer was telling her. Adopted. She was adopted. She shook her head as she looked at Mr. Emerson.

"That can't be right. There has to be some mistake."

Mr. Emerson looked at her with sympathy in his eyes as he slowly shook his head. "No, Rayne, there's no mistake." He pointed at the papers in front of her. "It's all there in black and white."

Rayne just sat staring down at the papers in front of her as Agnes reached over to squeeze her hand. "Why wouldn't they tell me? Why did they keep it from me all of those years?"

The older man shook his head. "I have no way of knowing the answers to those questions, Rayne. I just know what these documents state." He sighed as he took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I can imagine, that after the shock has settled, and you've had time to think about all of this, you'll be interested in finding out about your real parentage. At that time, call us and we'll set everything in motion for that to happen." He stood and picked up his briefcase, holding out a hand first to Agnes, then to Rayne, before quickly walking to the door. He waited patiently for his junior partner to repeat his actions before both men left the conference room. After several minutes of weighty silence, Agnes softly cleared her throat and looked at Rayne.

"Are you ok, honey? Do you need me to find Tom?"

Rayne slowly shook her head before looking at Agnes with watery eyes. "No. He's working, and that's what we need to be doing. We should be packing up for New York."

Agnes clucked in disapproval. "Sweetie, you can't internalize this like you do most things. You need to take the time to work through it."

Rayne nodded in agreement as she stood up to leave the room, clutching the adoption papers in her hand. "I will, just not right now. We have work to do. At least that's still real."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom knocked softly on the bedroom door and waited until he heard a muffled "yes" before speaking. "Darling? May I come in?'

"Yeah, I guess."

Tom sighed before opening the door and stepping into the darkened room. "Do you need anything? Something to eat perhaps? Agnes said you didn't eat dinner."

He saw Rayne shrug from where she was huddled under the covers in the bed and his heart broke just a little. She looked so small and defenseless, not at all the in-control woman she usually was.

"I'm not hungry." She gave him a wary look when he climbed into the bed beside her. "I suppose Agnes told you about today."

Tom nodded as he pulled gently on the covers until he found a corner and could peel them back enough to snuggle up beside her. "Yes, although I would have much preferred to hear the news from you instead." He pulled her to his side and kissed her on the forehead. "I can't imagine what you're going through right now, darling, but I'm here for you."

He heard Rayne sigh as she turned to face him, burying her face in his shoulder. "I just can't wrap my mind around everything that's happened. I mean, I found out that basically, my whole life up until this point has been a lie."

"Now darling, that simply isn't true. Of course, some things have changed, but I love you, and that's not a lie. You are very good at your job, that's not a lie. You are surrounded by people who adore you, and that isn't a lie either." Tom sighed as he squeezed Rayne even closer. "I know that eventually, you'll reach this conclusion on your own, but I want to bring something to your attention." He waited until Rayne lifted her head to look at him. "You are special." Rayne snorted and Tom chuckled. "Stop it. You are. Look at it this way. Your parents  _chose_ you. They had their pick of any baby that they wanted, and something about you made them choose you." Tom shrugged. "Just something to think about."

"Yeah, I guess. I'm just going to need some time to sort it all out."

Tom nodded before sitting up to get out of bed. "Of course you are, darling. Nobody expects anything to miraculously change overnight. It's going to take some time, Rayne." Tom gave her a quick kiss then stood up. "I'm going to have a shower then get us a snack before bedtime, yes?"

Rayne gave him a wan smile. "You're not really hungry."

Tom grinned and shrugged. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not, but you'll be polite enough to eat with me, won't you?"

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne blew out a breath as she and Melanie waited for their luggage at JFK airport. For the tenth time, she checked her watch. Melanie shot her a look as she began tapping her foot in annoyance.

"Is something bothering you?"

Rayne sighed and shook her head. "No, not really, I feel a little out of sorts, is all." She gave Melanie a slight, but pleasant smile. "It's fine I'm just not a good flier. I'm sorry that you've had to deal with me. That's usually Agnes's job."

Melanie just chuckled. "It's fine, really. I'd rather be here with you than cataloging the costumes. All things being equal, I got the better end of the bargain."

As they grabbed their bags from the conveyor, Rayne grinned at her assistant. "This week has just been..." She shook her head again. "Dealing with my parents, not to mention the stress that goes along with filming changing locations, and Tom..."

She looked down at the floor as Melanie elbowed her softly in the side. "You're going to miss him when he's gone."

"Yeah. When we move to Scotland, he'll be finished. I just don't know... how are we going to maintain a relationship apart from each other?"

Melanie shrugged before shooting a grin Rayne's way. "Well, I imagine just like anyone else would. You'll talk on the phone and Skype, you'll both rack up a lot of frequent flier miles. In the end, you'll figure it out. You'll see. It won't be as hard as you think it will."

Rayne blew out a breath then winked at her friend. "From your lips to God's ears."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We're what?"

Agnes smirked at Rayne as she took the bag from the younger girl's hands and set it on the couch. Since they were only going to be in New York for a couple of weeks filming some exterior shots, the production company had gotten everyone rooms at different hotels around the city. The crew, including wardrobe, had been sent along a day early while the cast, directors, and producers stayed behind to do some press work and charitable visits in Atlanta.

"I said that you and Tom were sharing this room. Well, you get it to yourself until tomorrow when he arrives, but that's it in a nutshell."

Agnes watched as Rayne chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, a slight frown on her face. Finally, she crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "I don't think we're ready for this." She took a hand and waved it toward the room. " _Are we_?"

Agnes sighed as she followed Rayne into the kitchenette and watched her take a bottle of water from the fridge. "Look, I get that you've had a rotten week and that you're a little nervous at spending that much alone time with Hiddles, but sweetie, you two really are ready for it, I promise. I mean, hell, in Atlanta, he was either at the house or you were at the hotel, so what's the big change?"

Rayne thought about it for a few minutes and finally decided that Agnes was right. They were ready for this and Rayne was content with the fact that Tom was rapidly becoming one of the things in her life that were constant and unchanging.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom watched as the elevator numbers inched higher and closer to where he needed to be. It was early morning and the cast had just arrived in New York for filming, although the directors had decided to give everyone a day off to rest up before the grueling pace began again. At this precise moment in time, he wanted nothing more than a shower and his bed, preferably with Rayne beside him. Finally, the elevator doors opened on his floor and he trudged tiredly down the hall, fishing around in his pocket for his keycard as he went.

He let himself into their room as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake Rayne if she was sleeping, which he assumed that she would be at just after 4 a.m. He stood still for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness before making his way across the living area of the suite to what he correctly assumed was the bedroom.

Tom felt an overwhelming sense of peace come over him at the sight of Rayne fast asleep in her blanket burrito. He grinned as she stirred a little before sighing and settling back down. His fingers itched to run through her tousled hair and down her cheek, but he needed a shower before he touched her or he wouldn't want to leave her side.

Twenty minutes later, dressed in a pair of pajama pants, Tom crawled into bed beside his beloved, once again pulling on the covers and snickering quietly as she fought him for a few seconds before letting him have some blankets. He laid beside her, breathing in her scent as he finally let his fingers have their way. Rayne stirred and opened her eyes, stretching as she looked over at Tom.

"Tom? Baby, what time is it?"

Tom leaned in and gave her a deep kiss before sighing again in contentment. "It's almost 5 in the morning. Go back to sleep, darling."

Rayne nodded and mumbled something unintelligible as she turned to snuggle deeper into Tom's embrace. Tom tightened his hold on her as he let his own eyes close, happy to be with her.


	19. I Miss You Already

 

"What crawled up your ass and died, Ray?"

Rayne shot Agnes a dirty look as they packed up the last of the costumes into its crate. "I don't know what you're talking about. There is nothing wrong with me."

Agnes snorted and leaned with one hand on a hip as she returned Rayne's glare. "Of course there isn't. You're just acting like Maleficent for no reason at all. You jumped down Melanie's throat just now, and you made one of the interns cry." She arched an eyebrow. "You and Tom fighting? Cause that would be pretty crappy with him leaving in the morning for London."

Rayne gave a dry chuckle and muttered to herself. "Don't remind me." She then spoke louder so Agnes could hear her. "We aren't fighting. Everything's fine. As a matter of fact, Tom has planned a quiet evening for just the two of us."

Agnes gave Rayne an understanding smile and nodded. "That's good. A bit of normal before he leaves. It's going to be a while before you see each other again."

Rayne slammed her coffee cup down on the table, making Agnes jump in surprise. "I know! You don't have to keep reminding me, ok? I'm well aware of how long it will be before we see each other again."

Agnes clucked her tongue at Rayne. "Why don't you take a break? Go find Tom? You can probably go ahead and leave for the day, there isn't much left here to do, just some loading."

Rayne shook her head as she grabbed her handbag. "I'm sure Tom is busy. I can't get used to running to him every time I'm having a bad day, now can I? He won't be there." Before Agnes could reply, she continued. "You know what? I think I will leave early. Go back to the hotel, grab a long, hot shower and relax." She whispered to herself. "I just need to relax."

Anges nodded, looking relieved. "That's a fine idea. If Tom comes by, I'll let him know where you've gone."

Rayne nodded distractedly as she walked out of the workshop and headed for the parking lot. Tomorrow, they would leave New York and head to Scotland, but Tom was finished with his Loki scenes, so he was headed home to London to begin readings for Hamlet, the stage play he was headlining for his alma mater, RADA.

This past week, Tom had been the perfect boyfriend. She honestly didn't think she could ask for a better man. He had listened to her about her parents, they had spent most, if not all, of their free time together, and they hadn't dwelled on the fact that he would be leaving soon. It was as if neither one wanted to be the one to bring it up. Rayne shook her head as she thought about Tom getting on a plane going a different direction than her tomorrow and there wasn't thing one she could do about it.

For her part, she kept it together, not letting Tom know that she was upset in any way. There really was no point, after all - it wasn't like he could change the way things were going to play out in the morning. They both had busy lives, and schedules that didn't have a lot of wiggle room. It certainly would take some fine tap-dancing to make a relationship between them work, and Rayne just didn't know if they had what it would take to sustain it.

Back at the hotel, she let herself into the quiet suite and shut the door behind her, locking it. She sagged against the door, letting out a long breath as she looked around at the general lived-in look of the room. One of Tom's suit jackets was laying on the back of the couch where he had thrown it one night. His running shoes sat beside the armchair where he had changed before leaving this morning. A dog-eared copy of Hamlet, complete with sticky notes, lay on the coffee table next to her copy of To Kill A Mockingbird. She could feel a lone tear lazily snaking its way down her cheek as she looked around at the bits and pieces of their life together.

Rayne shook her head, promising herself that she'd start picking up as soon as she got out of the shower. But, she looked at her watch and changed her mind, thinking that it would be nice if the mess was managed before Tom got back. She worked quickly, not letting her mind dwell for too long on what she was doing.

She picked up one of Tom's sweaters, or jumpers as he called them, and lifted it, taking a healthy sniff of his cologne. Rayne sank down onto the couch and wrapped his sweater around her like a security blanket, without realizing that she was crying until she felt the tears start streaming down her face. She let the broken sobs take her over as she rocked back and forth while she cried her eyes out.

Finally, Rayne wiped her eyes and straightened her back, silently embarrassed with her own behavior. It wasn't like Tom was dead, for God's sake, he was just done with his job. She needed to pull up her big girl knickers and deal with it because she didn't want Tom to find her like this.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom let himself into the suite a few hours later, whistling to himself quietly as he scanned the living area. Agnes had told him that Rayne had been out of sorts for most of the day and finally left to relax for a little while. Though she had tried to hide it from him, Tom knew why she was on edge. The prospect of their separation was bothering him as well, but he didn't want her to know either. He hoped she was able to come back to the suite and take a nap because he knew she hadn't slept well lately.

He happened to look around and noticed some things missing. With a muttered oath, he raked a hand through his hair.

"Rayne! Where are you darling?" Rayne poked her head out of the bedroom to give him a small smile and started to speak, but Tom held up a hand. "Did you pick up? My shoes and clothes? The books?"

Rayne came farther out of the bedroom as Tom plopped down on the couch with his head in his hands. "Yeah. I thought it would be nice if I started the packing before you got back."

Tom let his hands drop and nodded, his eyes still closed. "I understand darling, really. It was a lovely gesture. It's just... " Tom held out a hand, and when she took it, he pulled her into his lap. "I know it might sound a bit daft, darling, but my leaving everything lying about was my subtle way of rebelling against us having to leave."

Rayne shook her head and gave a slight smile while maneuvering herself until she was straddling Tom's lap. She leaned in to give him a deep kiss before leaving a tiny peck on the nose that made him chuckle. "It's not daft at all. As a matter of fact, it's kind of sweet. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one feeling the stress of our impending break-up."

Tom lifted a finger to place it across her lips before letting his thumb rub over her bottom lip. "Not break up, darling. We're just going to be apart for a little while." His face lit up with the first genuine smile he'd given since he walked in. "I made arrangements with the directors. When you are filming in London, you're going to stay with me." He looked down for a moment, as if suddenly unsure of himself. "I mean, you don't have to, but I thought it would be... "

It was Rayne's turn to shush Tom. She winked at him. "I think it's a wonderful idea."

Tom chuckled as he pulled her against his chest, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "You can even bring Woof. He can meet Baci. We'll be one happy little family."

Rayne chuckled as she traced circles on his shirt over his heart. "That should be interesting."

They sit enjoying the silence and each other for a while before Tom stirred. "Take a shower with me?"

Rayne shook her head. "I took one earlier so you could get one when you got in."

Tom snickered as he leaned in to nip her on the neck. "It wasn't really about the shower, love. That was supposed to be code."

Rayne laughed out loud as Tom chuckled and wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug. "What are you, a teenage boy? Since when do we need a code?"

Tom shrugged. "Well, you don't seem to be picking up on what I'm trying to hint at."

Rayne kissed him on the neck before whispering in his ear. "Well then, my love, why don't you just say it?'

Tom shifted until he was able to take Rayne's face in his hands and look into her eyes. "I want you. Before we're separated for weeks, I want to make love to the woman of my dreams. I want you to fall blissfully asleep in my arms, absolutely satisfied; warm and secure in the fact that your man loves you deeply." He leaned in to whisper in her ear, his breath blowing softly against her neck and making her shiver. "And if that isn't plain enough, darling Rayne, I want you to feel so satisfied that the farthest thing from your mind will be me leaving. You'll be too busy feeling the sweet ache from where I was inside you to think about it."

Rayne stared into his eyes for a moment before smiling slowly and standing up from his lap. She held out a hand and Tom took it, letting her pull him from the couch as he kept his eyes locked on hers. She led him down the small hallway and into the bedroom, finally letting his hand go as she stepped closer to the bed. She let her hand go to the hem of her t-shirt, but he stopped her, holding a hand out as he walked closer until he was standing directly in front of her.

"No, let me..."

Rayne's hand dropped to her side as Tom reached down to ruck up her shirt, slowly as he lifted it over her head and let it flutter to the floor. With slightly shaky fingers, he traced a line from the base of her throat to the front closure of her bra, resting his fingers there for a moment before deftly unhooking the snap. Rayne shrugged the straps off her shoulders and let the bra fall from her arms, causing Tom to draw a quick breath.

Tom reached behind him to pull his own shirt over his head, but Rayne stopped him with a soft smile. "No. Let me."

Tom grinned and nodded his head, letting Rayne pull his shirt off and throw it to the floor beside hers. She reached out and ran her hands over the hard planes of his chest and abs, captivated by the feel of soft skin over hard muscle. She let her hands drift down to his belt, resting there as she looked up at him with a lifted brow. Tom gave her a small nod as she slowly moved to unfasten his belt then unsnapped the button of his jeans.

When Rayne unzipped his jeans, Tom's eyes closed and his head fell back as Rayne reached in to grope him just before grabbing his rock hard shaft. He moaned as she stroked him once along the entire length from base to head. "No, darling... please, not yet."

Tom pulled Rayne to him, letting his hands fall to the waistband of her yoga pants. He hooked his thumbs in between her skin and her panties and slowly drew them along with her pants down her legs until she could kick them off. He let his hands rest on her hips for a moment as he leaned down for a deep kiss before smiling at his beloved. Tom opened his arms and wriggled his fingers to beckon Rayne as he used his sexiest voice to speak his next two words:

"Jump, Ray."

She cocked her head at him, seeing him wink at her before she shrugged and jumped into his arms, letting her legs wrap around his waist. They both give a small moan at the skin-to-skin contact before Tom moved quickly to the bed, laying her down without interrupting their embrace. They lost themselves to the touch and taste of each other, remembering long lost nights of passion as they replaced old memories with new. Hours were spent as they mentally mapped each other, rediscovering old pleasures while creating new ones. For instance, Tom found that Rayne loved being bitten behind the knees, as Rayne discovered Tom's love of having his hair pulled. Laughter turned to moans as Tom hovered over on locked elbows while Rayne looked up at him and smiled, poised to take that final step back to each other.

Tom looked down at Rayne and felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of the woman beneath him. It struck him that although they'd been in this position before, he'd never taken the time to appreciate the beauty before him. His breathing deepened as he smiled down at her.

"Are you ready, darling?"

Rayne nodded quickly, breathing quite heavily herself as she stretched up to give Tom a quick reassuring kiss. "Yes, always. I love you, Tom."

Tom felt tears of joy and relief as he lowered his hips and pushed them slowly forward. It was in exactly that moment that Tom realized that he was indeed home, wherever the two of them were together. "I love you too, Rayne darling. Always."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Don't cry, darling. Please."

Rayne sniffled again and looked up at the ceiling of the terminal, trying to do as Tom asked, but finding it hard to do. After a sleepless night of lovemaking, here they both were, in the middle of JFK trying not to have a public meltdown.

"I'm trying not to, I promise. Have you got everything?"

Tom nodded, grinning at her abrupt change of subject. "Yes. You?"

Rayne nodded also. "I think so." She reached out and brushed a piece of fuzz from Tom's jacket. "So..."

Tom nodded, studying the tile under their shoes. "Yeah, so... "

Rayne took a deep breath before stepping back. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks. Have a safe flight."

Tom nodded and turned to walk off before stopping and seeming to have a heated conversation with himself. Suddenly, he turned back to Rayne and pulled her into his arms. "Bugger it. Let the paps watch."

His lips sealed over Rayne's and she could actually feel the love pouring out of him. When he released her, they stood staring at each other for a moment before chuckling and picking up their luggage. He gave one last wave before disappearing into the crowd, soon to be swallowed up as if he had never been there. Rayne sighed and headed in the opposite direction, soon finding Agnes by their gate.

As she took her seat for the flight to Scotland, she heard her watch ping. Looking down, she saw a text from Tom and it made her heart melt all over again.

_I miss you already, my love_


	20. London Calling

 

"Page Two."

That's all Agnes said as she plopped a tabloid down in front of Rayne on the desk and sashayed over to her own desk, whistling jauntily. They'd been in Scotland for a week and they'd been so busy that Rayne barely had time to go back to the hotel at night and fall into bed. She eyed the paper with distaste as she leafed to the second page, groaning as she saw a picture of herself and Tom kissing in the middle of JFK. She slapped a hand to her forehead as her phone started ringing, knowing who it was before she even looked, while Agnes chuckled.

"Three guesses who that is."

Rayne sighed as she slid her finger across the screen. "Hello, Tom."

"Hello, darling. You know, I texted you two hours ago to call me."

Rayne cringed as she looked at her watch as if to say that it was the object's fault. "I know. I fully intended to, then I got busy and forgot. What's up?"

She heard Tom chuckle on the other end of the call. "Now, Rayne, I'm pretty sure you know why I'm calling. No doubt Agnes has called your attention to a certain small news article."

She glared at the British tabloid and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, just now, actually. I haven't had a chance to read it yet."

Tom scoffed. "Don't bother darling. It's just the usual drivel. I just wanted to make sure you knew about it, find out how you were feeling."

It was Rayne's turn to snicker. "Well, I guess we just went public. I would have preferred it be on our terms, but you can't have everything I suppose."

"Well, I think we both knew there was a chance that someone caught that kiss on camera. It was just a matter of time before it turned up. It actually took longer than I thought it would." Tom paused for a moment before continuing. "Would you like Luke to issue a statement on our behalf?"

"A statement about what?"

Tom cleared his throat. "Well, it could go one of two ways, I suppose. We can deny it, state that we aren't a couple, but then, when we do go public, we'll be caught in the lie. Or, he can issue a statement that yes, we're in love and happy in a committed relationship."

Rayne gave a mock sigh as she smiled to herself. "Damn, and I was just using you for sex."

Tom laughed out loud at that, breaking the tension. "Well, you can feel free to use me for sex, as often as you would like, darling. I just happen to require the happy, committed relationship to go along with said sexual dalliances."

Rayne chuckled at that, then became more serious. "I'm fine with that, Mr. Hiddleston, but are you? You'll lose your sexy single celebrity status."

She heard Tom breathing for a minute before he answered. "I think I already lost that a while ago, darling. Can't I be a sexy, committed celebrity? I think I'd rather enjoy that status more."

Rayne cleared her throat around the sudden emotion pooling there. "Well, if you're sure, then I'm sure." She threw an eraser at Agnes, getting the older woman's attention. "Hey, Agnes. I'm Tom Hiddleston's girlfriend."

Agnes rolled her eyes at Rayne's declaration and snorted. "Yeah, that's front page news right there. Call the Today Show and Jimmy Fallon. Wait, don't forget Graham Norton. Gotta give a nod to the British contingency."

She heard Tom laughing on the other end at their antics before he replied to her. "Well, darling, I better get off of here so I can call Luke and have him get started on the press release. How about Skyping later this evening?"

Rayne nodded to herself, making a mental note. "That sounds fine, Tom. Have a great day, babe. I love you."

"Love you too, darling. Talk soon."

Rayne ended the call and laid her phone down before checking the schedule for the following day. She sighed as she realized that it would be another jam-packed day with little to no wiggle room. She let the paper drop to her desk and sat rubbing her eyes for a moment before glancing in Anges' direction. She rubbed her chin before speaking quietly in the nearly silent room.

"I think I want to find my birth parents if it's possible."

Agnes looked up from the shirt she was mending, surprise written all over her face. "That came out of left field. Been thinking about this a lot, have you?"

Rayne sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I have. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm pretty pissed at them, but it would be nice to at least know their names."

Agnes gave her a sympathetic look. "Honey, you really shouldn't hold a grudge against these people. You don't know the whole story or the circumstances. Besides, you had a wonderful family that loved you."

Rayne shook her head and scoffed. "I shouldn't hold a grudge? They didn't want me, plain and simple. That is, in fact, the whole story."

It was Agnes's turn to shake her head but in frustration. "You're making this very black and white, and it just isn't sweetie. There are all kinds of reasons that people give up their children, and rarely is one of them the fact that they don't want them." She turned her head to stare at the wall for a moment before looking back at Rayne with a look of sadness. "Sometimes, just sometimes, they make the supreme sacrifice to make sure their children are taken care of and loved because, for whatever reason, they aren't capable of it themselves."

Rayne just shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. I don't know. It's not that I expect them to want me now after all these years, but it would be nice to know who they are. If for no other reason, I may need their medical histories sometime in the future. You never know."

Agnes nodded, the frown on her face turning into a smirk. "Ok, subject change. London."

Rayne lifted a brow. "A huge city in England, home of Westminster Abbey and The London Eye. Are we playing a trivia game?"

Agnes snorted and waved a finger at Rayne. "No, smartass. What are you doing when we hit London town? I know you're staying with Tom, but have you thought about what happens after filming?"

Rayne shrugged. "I go back to L.A. That's what happens after filming."

Agnes shook her head. "Boy, you are really working my nerves today, young lady. Have you thought about taking a vacation and hanging out with Tom a little longer? You sure are due some time off."

Rayne shook her head. "Our work visas end when filming does."

"Yeah, but you have a passport. Surely you could spend a couple weeks here on vacation."

"I have things to take care of at home that have been set aside while we've been filming."

Agnes rolled her eyes at that. "Will you at least think about it?"

Rayne sighed. "I have thought about it. I have work to do, Agnes." She grinned as she pointed a finger at the older woman teasingly. "Actually, one of the things I have to do is have dinner with Sam Elliott. Unless you want to, of course. He couldn't stop talking about 'his Aggie' when we met last."

She watched with glee as Agnes turned a very becoming shade of pink and nervously patted her hair while she avoided direct eye contact. "I don't know what you're talking about. There's nothing between me and Sammy. I mean Sam."

Rayne grinned and began singing. "Aggie and Sammy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G..."

Agnes threw a pencil at Rayne. "You are a brat! You're grounded! No shagging for you!"

Rayne broke out in delighted laughter and almost fell out of her chair as Agnes flipped her the bird.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hello, darling. You look done in."

Rayne grinned at the image of Tom on her tablet. "So do you, Tom." He gave her a tired smile and she frowned. "Are you ok, baby? You look exhausted."

Tom smiled a little bigger and shook his head. "I'm fine, luv. It's just been a long day. Rehearsals are kicking my arse. I'm beginning to think I'm not cut out for this role. It's very demanding, emotionally and physically."

Rayne pointed a finger at the camera, making Tom chuckle. "You stop that right now! You know this play backward and forward. You will be the best Hamlet the world has ever seen. Well, a select group of the world."

Tom smiled at her and made her heart clench. "Have I told you that I love you today?"

Rayne nodded, smiling at him. "Yes, several times in fact."

"Well, I never want to miss a chance to say it. I love you, Rayne. Truly, madly and deeply." He sighed. "I also miss you terribly."

Rayne rolled her eyes at that. "You talk to me at least once a day on the phone, plus texting and Skype. I don't know how you can miss me."

Tom lifts a tired brow at that, making Rayne snicker. "That's not the same and you know it, darling. Of course, I miss you. I miss your touch. I miss you stealing the covers and the fun I have getting them back. I miss you wearing my jumpers and nothing else, dancing around to some music playing through your mind." His voice dropped an octave and he got that look that Rayne knew and loved so well. "I miss the way you smell, the way you taste, the way your skin feels so soft under my fingers."

Rayne swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "I miss you too, Tom. I want nothing more than to fall asleep in your arms every night." She sighed, letting her finger trace the image of his face on the screen. "One more week, my love. Then we'll be together, at least for a little while."

Tom grinned at that, winking at her. "I'll take what I can get, luv. Perhaps your first full day here, Agnes can run things. I may not be able to let you out of our bed." He bit his lip and Rayne suddenly wished she could do it for him. "Oh, darling, the things I'm going to do to you. I may have to make sure what I have in mind isn't illegal here." Rayne gave him a saucy wink and he practically growled at her, his eyes turning a darker shade of blue. "Don't look at me like that, darling. I'm too exhausted to do what I want to."

Rayne chuckled softly as she blew him a kiss. "I know, and that's why we need to end this call. We both need sleep baby."

Tom reluctantly nodded. "I know you're right, luv." He sighed. "Ok. I love you. Sweet dreams darling."

Rayne smiled. "Same to you. I know what I'll be dreaming of tonight."


	21. Home Is Wherever Your Heart Is

 

The closer the plane got to London, the more nervous Rayne became. Maybe nervous wasn't the word but she was starting to fidget in her seat as Agnes got more and more amused. Finally, she elbowed her and smirked at the younger woman.

"You're like a toddler that's had too much sugar. Calm down." She reached over and turned Rayne's wrist so she could see her watch. "You got about an hour and you'll see lover boy. You're going to be lucky if he doesn't shag you right in the middle of Heathrow." She slapped her knee at her own joke. "Boy, that would give those tabloids something to report, wouldn't it?"

Rayne looked at her for a moment before breaking out into giggles. "Oh my god, I've never been this ready to get off of a plane."

Agnes snorted. "Yeah, you're ready to get off, all right."

The elderly gentleman in the seat in front of her turned to look at them with a slightly red face and Rayne slapped Agnes on the arm as the old woman broke out in loud laughter.

"He's not picking me up, thank you. I told him not to. It would just draw too much attention."

Agnes stopped laughing and cleared her throat. "Well, this is awkward. He called back while you were in the shower and I told him to go ahead and meet you there. It seemed to perk him right up."

Rayne facepalmed then glared at Agnes. "Seriously? We'll be online before we get to the car!" She looked out the window then back at her seatmate. "I'm worried about Woof. He doesn't travel well and I hate having to put him in cargo. I'll probably have to stop at a park somewhere and let him run for a few minutes. I don't want him scaring Tom's dog to death with all of his excess energy."  
  


Agnes shook her head. "He's fine, mommy. You always freak out worse than he does when you travel with him." She snickered. "I'm glad I'm not going home with you two, although it should be entertaining with two dogs in the same house that have never been around each other."

Rayne sighed. "Well, hopefully, Baci and Woof get along. We'll see."

The two women fell into silence, both in their own thoughts. Rayne was both excited and nervous to see Tom again. This was his home turf after all. It was the first time one of them had been to the other's home. Rayne didn't really count Atlanta because that wasn't her personal space. She blew out a breath, thinking that they would find out pretty quickly if this was going to work. This was a new level for the two of them, after all. Agnes broke into her thoughts.

"Are you going to have a chance to see Anna while you're there?"

Rayne shrugged. "I don't really know. I haven't heard if she and Ben are even in town right now. With their schedules, you never know." She grinned. "Kind of like Tom and I. First we're here, then we're someplace else."

Agnes nodded in understanding. She knew how those kinds of relationships were. "Well, I hope you do. She's a great gal, and has become a good friend of yours."

Rayne nodded, smiling a little. "She has. I mean, we don't know each other all that well yet, but she seems like a wonderful person."

Agnes grinned at her. "Yep, she does, and I'm pretty sure with you and Tom together now, that you'll have plenty of time to get to know her."

Before Rayne could answer, they heard the announcement that they would be landing at Heathrow shortly. She took an excited breath, grinning like an idiot at the thought that she was minutes away from seeing Tom again.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second Rayne walked through the gate, Tom spotted her. His breath seemed to catch in his chest as he watched her laugh at something Agnes had said, the light reflecting in her eyes just right to make them twinkle. He wasn't joking when he had told her that he had missed her terribly. These last two weeks had been horrendous. If possible, they had been worse than after they broke up the first time. This time, the minutes seemed to crawl by, as if mocking him. The knowledge that this time, he would indeed see her again, hold her in his arms again, made it the tiniest bit more bearable.

Before he even registered in his mind that he was moving, his feet were carrying him quickly to where she stood looking up at the signs. He assumed she was trying to suss out how to find the cargo area to retrieve Woof. He chuckled as Agnes spotted him first, turning to elbow Rayne in the side and point in his direction. He almost stumbled when Rayne turned her gaze toward him, the smile that came across her face was that beautiful. If he had ever doubted her love for him, that smile would have been enough to put him at ease. It was so full of love and longing that he almost wept at the perfection of it.

When he was close enough to touch, he pulled Rayne into his arms without a word spoken between them and gave her a kiss so full of his feelings that he was trembling from it. He could hear Agnes laughing, but he didn't care. He didn't care if every person walking by them posted pictures on social media. All he cared about was that he had her right where he needed her to be at that moment, and if only for a little while, he would revel in the time that they had together.

Rayne seemed to be having the same thoughts as Tom, because she couldn't get close enough, couldn't run her hands through his hair or over his chest and arms enough. Finally, reality intruded in the form of Agnes practically pulling them apart while clearing her throat. Tom and Rayne stood gaping at each other as the older woman chuckled quietly.

"I'm sorry to break you two apart, but you're causing quite a scene. Why don't we all get out of here so you can reunite in private?"

Tom felt himself blushing which only made Agnes laugh more as Rayne seemed suddenly shy as well. Finally, she came around enough to continue looking up at the airport signs. Tom grinned as he pulled her into his side.

"What are you looking for darling?"

"I'm trying to find out where to pick up Woof. He's here somewhere."

Tom chuckled as he pulled her along with him through the crowd. "Well, why don't we get your luggage, then we'll just meet him at the car." He looked at Agnes. "Do you need a ride to the hotel, luv?"

Agnes grinned and winked at Tom, making him snicker. "Nope. I'm riding with Melanie. You two kids go." Agnes shooed them away with the flap of her wrist.

Once they each located their luggage, the ladies both said goodbye and headed off in opposite directions, Agnes off to find Melanie and Tom leading a reluctant Rayne by the hand toward the exit. Rayne pulled on his hand and huffed, making him grin to himself before stopping and turning to her.

"Tom, where are we going?"

He grinned at her before kissing her on the nose. "To the car, darling. Where else?"

Rayne actually stomped her foot in frustration, making Tom laugh out loud. "I can't just meet Woof at the car! He's not a teenager, for goodness sake! I have to go retrieve him from cargo."

Tom just grinned, turning to once again pull her through the airport. By now, people were starting to take notice of them, and he was trying to get out before being stopped for pictures or autographs. "Yes, darling, you can. My driver was more than willing to help out, so I gave him the information that I had you email last week, and he is picking up Woof. They're probably already waiting in the car."

He heard Rayne mumble something about smartass Brits but just chuckled quietly as they finally made their way out of the terminal and to the idling van. Knowing that Woof would have to be crated for travel, Tom wanted them both to be as comfortable as possible and had enough foresight to rent a Mercedes Sprinter to bring them home. Rayne grinned at him as the driver took her luggage to stow in the back of the van.

"A little ostentatious, isn't it?"

Tom shrugged, giving her a hand up into the vehicle before following behind her and closing the door. "I just wanted both you and Woof to be comfortable, darling." He moved around her to sit down on the long bench seat, patting his lap and winking at her. She shook her head, laughing.

"There's plenty of room for me to sit, babe. I don't need to sit in your lap."

With a growl, Tom grabbed her hand and yanked her onto his lap, looping an arm around her waist to keep her there. "Stop being a brat and cuddle with me. Otherwise, I won't survive the trip home."

Rayne gave him a soft smile and reached out to run her fingers through his hair, pulling slightly on the longer strands. He had been letting his hair grow out again since playing Loki, and she loved the soft feel of it. Rayne let her head fall onto Tom's shoulder and sighed. "You have no idea how much I've missed being able to touch you whenever I wanted to."

Tom fidgeted a little as Rayne pulled softly on his hair, the sensation driving him nearly to distraction. "I know the feeling love. That's why I'm enjoying this right now."

He kissed her deeply, distracting her for a moment from the fact that his fingers were no longer wrapped around her waist but were slowly unbuttoning her blouse. She tried batting his hand away to no avail. "Tom! The driver!"

Tom lifted his eyes from looking at the skin being revealed with each loose button to give her a smoldering look. "The driver is in the front, darling. He can't see or hear anything happening back here, and Woof is sleeping in his crate. Now, let me have what I've wanted... no needed, for the last two weeks." The smoldering look turns to one of pure innocence for a moment, making Rayne snort in amusement. "Please, Rayne? I know you still have some adventure in you. Don't you, darling?"

Rayne gave Tom a flirty smile before slowly removing his hands from her body and standing up in front of him. She reaches up under her skirt and slowly removed her panties, watching Tom's eyes darken and his mouth fall open slightly as he started breathing heavily. She pulled her skirt up equally slow until she had enough room to straddle Tom's legs and sit back down in his lap. Tom's head fell back against the headrest with a moan. Then, he felt Rayne's lips on his neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses to his ear. "This reminds me of our first time. Do you remember?" The warmth of her breath caused a shiver to race down his spine.

Tom quickly nodded his head as he felt Rayne's nimble little fingers working at the fly of his jeans, finally getting it open enough to reach in and stroke his rock hard shaft. With shaky fingers, he finished unbuttoning her shirt and unclasped her bra, gently sliding both down her arms before wrapping an arm around her to pull her closer, letting his head rest on her breast for a moment. Rayne then stopped stroking him and began to slowly rock her pelvis into his, causing them both to moan at the sensation. Tom shook his head before lifting his gaze to hers. "Please, darling, not yet. God, not yet. I just want to... " With one hand supporting her back, he let the other slide up her thigh until he found what he was looking for. As his fingers worked in a circular motion, Rayne's head fell back and a loud moan came from the beautiful column of her throat. He smiled at her, nodding his head as her cries got a little louder. "That's it, baby."

Rayne looked down at him and gripped his shoulders tightly as she tried to hold on to him. She bit her lip and ground down on his fingers, finding him more than willing to meet her halfway. She leaned in to give Tom a deep kiss before whispering against his lips. "Please, Tom. I can't... baby, I need you."

Tom grinned at Rayne, knowing exactly what she wanted. He clamps his hands around her hips, helping to steady her as he suddenly thrust into her, feeling Rayne encase him in her warmth. He cried out, lunging forward to bury his face in her neck as she started moving, working her hips back and forth as they each took their pleasure. They whispered each other's name as they both reached their peak, Tom slightly ahead of Rayne. After a shuddering climax, Rayne slumped tiredly against Tom. He then cradled her to his chest and sweetly kissed her on the forehead until they both recovered enough to speak.

"Holy shit, Tom! That was..."

Tom chuckled against her temple. "Better than the first time?"

Rayne shakily nodded her head, making him chuckle harder. She grinned as she felt the vibration of his laughter through his chest. "Yeah, I would say. I'm not sure I can walk now."

Tom smoothed a hand through Rayne's hair until she moved to look up at him. He smiled down at her and, at that exact moment, she no longer doubted how much he loved her.

"Well then, I'll just have to carry you into our home. Welcome to London, darling."

 


	22. Think Of It As Wrestling

 

On the way to Tom's house, they stopped at a small park nearby so Woof could run off a little energy before meeting Baci for the first time. Rayne thought that it felt really good to stretch her own legs as she and Tom walked at a more sedate pace behind Woof. The driver was going to meet them back at the house and they would just walk the few blocks home with Woof. Tom looked down at her and smiled, looking completely relaxed.

"What would you like for dinner darling? I can get us some takeaway or I can make something for us. Whichever you prefer."

Rayne thought for a moment then shrugged. "I'll leave it up to you. The main thing I want is a shower."

Tom nodded before leaning down to give her a kiss. "Alright, I'll put together a little something while you get cleaned up, then we'll settle in with a movie or something. How does that sound? Just a night to relax."

Rayne let her head fall over to rest on Tom's bicep as they walked. "That sounds lovely, actually." Something occurred to her that she had wanted to ask. "Are Ben and Anna in town do you know? I was hoping to see them while I was here."

Tom smiled and nodded. "They are, actually. I'll call to ask if they'd want to have dinner one night this week."

"Wonderful!"

By the time they reached Tom's house, Woof was slowing down, his flight catching up to him again. Rayne smiled, thinking that he would be asleep in minutes once they got inside unless the excitement of another dog was just too much. Tom helped the driver get the bags and Woof's crate inside before Rayne attempted to take the dog in, knowing that it would be too much excitement for him with everything going on.

The driver came back out and nodded to Rayne with a "Good day, miss" as Tom stuck his head out the front door and beckoned her to come in. She took a deep breath and walked beside Woof into Tom's house, suddenly a little apprehensive. Once they were inside, Tom took the lead from Rayne's hand and started to unhook it from Woof's collar. Rayne put out a hand to stop his motion.

"Don't you think maybe we should leave him on the leash for a bit? You know, until he gets used to everything?"

Tom shrugged. "Well, we could, but I think he might get better acquainted with everything if we just let him explore. Baci is around somewhere." He nodded in the direction of the kitchen. "I've put his crate beside hers. I thought that would also help them to get used to each other."

Rayne finally nodded and Tom let Woof loose to explore as he grabbed her bags from beside the door. "Let me show you where the bedroom and bath are, alright darling?"

Rayne smiled and followed him down the hall leading to the bedrooms, thinking that this might not be a bad trip after all.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne took a sip of her wine, sitting back in her chair with a sigh. Tom had made a wonderful dinner, chicken alfredo, and a salad, and she was completely stuffed. Tom smiled at her as he tore off a piece of his garlic bread and pointed at her.

"Anything new since we last spoke, darling? I mean, we always talk about work and such but I've been wondering how you're doing after finding out about your parents."

Rayne sighed again, watching her wine as she swirled it around in her glass. "I'm handling it pretty well, I think. I thought about what you said and you're right. They loved me enough to pick me over another child. So, yeah - I'm good with it." She shook her head a little, causing Tom to frown a bit. "But... I've still decided that I want to search for my birth parents."

Tom lifted a brow but said nothing for a moment before finally nodding. "That's a big step, darling, but I'm there with you if that's what you have to do."

Rayne shrugged. "Well, I don't  _have_  to, but I really would like to find them. They don't have to want to meet me, but I would like to have general health information if possible. It could come in handy sometime in the future."

Tom nodded. "You're right, it could. You never know about things like that." He stood up and started clearing the table as Rayne jumped up to help him. They worked together quickly to get the clean-up done before walking into the living room intent on watching a movie. Suddenly, they both heard a loud thud followed by Woof barking. "Did you hear that?"

Rayne nodded, chuckling. "I'm sure he's stuck somewhere. He always thinks he's smaller than he actually is. I'll go check on him while you find a movie to watch, ok?"

Tom nodded as she kissed him on the cheek and headed out in search of her AWOL dog. Rayne had searched every room in the house except the one she assumed was Tom's study. She paused briefly at the door as he came striding down the hall toward her. She cautiously opened the door, but quickly shut it with a surprised squeak. Tom looked at her strangely and tried to move around her to open the door but Rayne blocked him. "Uhhh... you don't want to do that."

Tom narrowed his eyes at her. "And why not, darling?"

Rayne gave a nervous chuckle. "You just really don't. Let's just say, the dogs are getting along. Really well."

Tom started to question her when it dawned on him what she was saying. "No... wait a bloody... are you serious?!"

Rayne nodded her head, giggling. "Yes, quite serious."

Tom ran a hand through his hair before pointing an agitated finger at the closed door. "He is taking advantage of my baby?!"

Rayne rolled her eyes, shrugging. "Call it what you want. Why don't you just think of it as wrestling?"

Tom stared at her dumbfounded before shaking his head. "You just expect me to... ignore what's going on in there? We need to get your mutt away from my baby girl!"

Rayne narrowed her eyes at him as she crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Wait just a minute there, buddy. Why is it Woof's fault?"

Tom mimicked her stance, staring down at her with a smartass smirk on his face. "Come on, Rayne. He probably forced himself on her."

Rayne wanted to laugh at the outraged expression on his face but chose to take another tack. She really felt like what's done is done, and didn't see any point in scolding the dogs for doing what came naturally.

She took a step away from the door, making Tom eye her suspiciously. "Don't you think a girl can flirt to get a boy's attention?" Rayne moved in front of Tom, gently pushing him back against the wall as she let her body slide against his. She heard a faint moan and grinned as she started unbuttoning his shirt, leaving kisses on the exposed skin as she went. "I mean, it doesn't always have to be the guy that makes the first move, babe."

"But darling, we should really do something about the dogs... Oh my god!"

Rayne had to bite back a chuckle as she sucked on Tom's nipple before letting go with a faint pop and looking up at him, a pout on her lips. "Well, if you don't want to, it's fine. I mean, I thought you might want to welcome me properly, but I'm sure another few hours of keeping the dogs away from each other, even though the damage is most likely already done... well, we have two weeks. I'm sure we'll find some time before I leave." Rayne shrugged nonchalantly.

Just as she started to walk away the roles were suddenly reversed, and she found her back against the wall as Tom began kissing her with all the urgency of a lover denied his woman for far too long. When he finally let her come up for air, he started playfully nibbling his favorite spot on her neck before growling into her ear. "Bugger it. A litter of pups won't be that much of a problem, will it now?"

Rayne giggled then moaned as Tom attacked the other side of her neck while his hands began removing her t-shirt. "No... ohhh... I'm sure they'll be adorable."

Tom chuckled as her bra joined her t-shirt on the floor. "Oh yes, charming little mongrels, the lot of them."

Rayne chuckled as well before whispering in his ear. "Tom, baby, focus. Show me your bedroom."

Tom shook his head, a lecherous look on his face. "Oh no, darling.  _Our_ bedroom."

Before Rayne could say anything, she was hoisted up and over Tom's shoulder and carried down the hall to the bedroom. She squealed with delight as Tom chuckled and slapped her lightly on the ass. "Put me down, Tom!"

Tom just laughed harder. "I will darling... when we get in the bedroom."

Tom marched into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him with a kick as he walked up to the bed and unceremoniously plopped Rayne down in the middle. He chuckled to himself as she bounced a few times before coming to rest on her back. Tom crawled up the bed to join her, laying beside her with his head on her chest and an arm draped around her waist. Rayne sighed and leisurely ran her fingers through his hair. "This is nice, you know? Just laying here together."

Tom nodded and mimicked her sigh before turning his head to lay a soft kiss between her breasts. "I need you to understand something, Rayne..."

Rayne cocked her head to stare down at him. "Ok."

Tom looked up at her with an adoring smile. "I want you to think of this as your home as well, darling. It's our bedroom, our kitchen, etcetera."

Rayne bit her lip then nodded slowly. "I get what you're saying. It's just hard for me. It might take me some time to feel that comfortable. Can you understand that?"

Tom nodded, moving up to kiss her slowly. "Actually, I do understand that. No worries, love. I just want you to be completely comfortable here, is all. That might take time, but hopefully, it will happen."

They laid there for a few more minutes before Rayne stirred a little. "Do you think we should go check on the dogs?"

Tom laughed, shaking his head as he maneuvered himself over her to stare down at her smiling face. "I'm sure they're fine. It's like you've already said, darling - what's done is done." He leaned in for a quick kiss before continuing. "Now then, where were we?"

Rayne winks and reached out to finish unbuttoning Tom's shirt while he began to peel off her leggings and knickers. He got as far as her knees before Rayne's hands made it to his jeans and he lost focus for a moment as he looked between them to watch her hands work on his zipper. He started panting as her fingers started working their magic on his swollen member, finally finding enough energy to yank her pants off the rest of the way and kick his off as well.

Tom stopped to look down at the woman beneath him, smiling as he lowered himself on top of her, reveling at the feel of skin to skin contact. Rayne reached up to trace the contours of Tom's face to imprint this moment in her memories, knowing that it was one that she'd never forget.

With a wink and a smile, she suddenly wrapped her legs around Tom's hips and pulled him closer, locking their bodies together. Tom moaned quietly as he found his way home, letting their bodies join without almost any help.

This was unhurried lovemaking, not the urgent need they felt earlier in the day. They felt no need to rush through these moments, instead drinking in the love that went along with the desire. As they rocked their bodies against each other, Rayne instinctively knew that this was different, that they had never experienced this level of intimacy before. This moment was about two souls coming together, finding their way home. Rayne took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she felt the sting of salty tears as she neared her orgasm. The beauty of the moment she and Tom were sharing added to its intensity, and Rayne found herself moved to tears. Tom smiles down at her, wanting to keep this picture of her in his mind forever.

Both knew they were close to reaching their climax, as the tender, unhurried pace of their lovemaking became hurried, and a bit more frantic with each passing second. Tom and Rayne clung to each other as they tumbled blissfully over the edge into orgasmic freefall in almost a single breath.

They collapsed into a tangle of sweaty, exhausted limbs and giggled their way through tender breathless kisses until they fell asleep in each other's arms. 


	23. To Thine Own Self Be True

 

"If this is really the avenue that you want to explore, I'll put Gavin in touch with you."

Rayne frowned as she twirled a pencil around her fingers and listened to Mr. Emerson on the other end of the call. "Why Gavin? Can't you handle this for me?"

"I'm afraid not. The only personal work I take care of is for Agnes. Gavin is a perfectly capable lawyer, Rayne. He can start the process of finding your birth parents." She heard him sigh before he continued. "I would caution you that you may not find what you're looking for. Are you completely sure that you want to dig into the past?"

Rayne blew out a breath of irritation. "Yes, I'm sure Mr. Emerson. Have Gavin call me."

"You don't want to wait until you're back in L.A.?"

"No, let's get started now."

"Right then. We'll be in touch soon, Rayne. Have a good day."

After she ended the call, she sat staring off into space, wondering why it sounded like Mr. Emerson was warning her away from her search. She let the thought go as she heard Agnes calling for her from across the room. She didn't have time to worry about it now. She had work to do. When she reached where Agnes was sorting through the storage container with Dr. Strange's costume, the old woman turned to her with a grin on her face and his cloak in her hands.

"Didn't you say that you wanted to make a copy of this for Anna? Now seems like a good time, before filming is through and we ship everything home."

Rayne smiled as she took the cloak from Agnes and looked it over. Of course, she couldn't make an exact replica, but she could make it as close as she could for her friend. She rummaged through a bin with the extra cloth until she found what she was looking for, then walked over to a workstation. As she sat down at the table, Agnes leaned a hip against the side and looked over at her.

"I didn't want to intrude, but what was with that call just now? You seemed tense."

Rayne shrugged as she worked. "Mr. Emerson trying to talk me out of finding my birth parents."

Agnes quirked a brow at that. "That's strange. Usually, he's very helpful."

"He's going to give me Gavin to work with on it. He said the only personal work he does is for you."

Agnes nodded, chuckling slightly. "Yeah, me and George have been together a long time."

Rayne grinned as she prepared to start sewing. "Well, apparently he's not interested in taking me as a personal client."

Agnes shrugged. "He's getting old like the rest of us. He probably just doesn't have the energy."

"Maybe so. It doesn't really matter. I can imagine anyone can find out the information I need."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, Rayne let herself into the house to be greeted by Baci and Woof. After spending a few minutes petting and cooing to her babies, she followed the amazing smells coming from the kitchen to find Tom standing over a pot on the stove, stirring slowly.

"Something smells really good."

Tom turned, smiling at her as he lay a spoon on the counter. "Hello, darling. How was your day?" He motioned to the pot. "It's bolognese."

Rayne wrapped her arms around Tom for a hug before leaning back to receive his kiss. "It was busy. How was yours?"

"Busy as well." He looked at his watch before smiling at her. "Why don't you go grab a shower while this simmers?"

Rayne nodded, turning to go toward the hallway. "That's a good idea. I'll be back shortly."

By the time Rayne was cleaned up and changed into leggings and a t-shirt, Tom had dinner on the table. They talked about their days before Rayne filled him in on the strange call she had received from the lawyer.

"I swear, Tom. It was as if he was trying to talk me out of looking for my parents."

Tom shook his head as he stood to collect the dishes, Rayne following him into the kitchen. "I'm sure you were imagining things, darling. Even if he were, I'm sure it was just a general warning. I'm sure he's seen a lot in his years as a lawyer. Perhaps he was just looking out for your interests."

Rayne shrugged before opening the dishwasher. "Maybe. I don't really know. It just seemed strange to me."

Tom nodded in agreement as they made quick work of the dirty dishes. Once done, they moved to the living room, where they found the dogs sprawled out on the carpet next to each other, dozing. The two amused humans plopped down on the couch beside each other to see what they could find to watch on telly.

"Well, I have something I wanted to discuss with you, actually. I was talking to mum today and she wanted to know if the family was going to have the chance to meet you soon."

Rayne lifted her head a bit to look at him. "Tom, I'm here to work. I really don't think I'll have time to... "

Tom nodded before replying. "Oh, I know darling. I told her that exact thing, but I thought perhaps after you were done with filming... I mean, you'll be free then, won't you?" He leaned over for a kiss before continuing. "I thought perhaps I could persuade you to stay on for a bit before heading back to the states." His smile brightened. "What about Easter? You could be here to meet the family then. I think dad is even coming this year, which means you could meet everyone at one time."

Rayne shook her head, already sorry to be the one to put the frown on his face. "Babe, I can't stay until Easter. I have a business to run."

Tom nodded slowly, and Rayne could tell that he was frustrated. "I know that, Rayne. I just thought... " He shook his head. "I suppose I thought that you could make an effort. It's important to me that my family meet you."

Rayne let her head fall back against the sofa cushion and closed her eyes before answering. "I know it is, Tom." She blew out a breath and ran a hand through her still-damp hair. "Maybe I can fly back Easter weekend. I'm not promising anything, but I'll try."

Tom gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek, making Rayne's eyes fly open. "Thank you, luv. You know if I could come to you, I would, with family in tow."

Rayne nodded, grinning. "I know. I just don't think the states are ready for all the Hiddleston's at one time."

Tom lifted a brow as his hands snaked around her waist, moving quickly toward her ribs. "Oh, is that right?"

Rayne squealed with laughter as Tom began tickling her on the sides. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he was much stronger than she was, making it impossible for her to get away. Their laughter soon turned to whispers as tickling became caressing. After a few minutes, Tom suddenly jumped up from the couch and hurried out of the room, only to come back a minute later with a small envelope in his hand. He sat back down and turned to Rayne with a shy smile on his face.

"I almost forgot. I have something for you."

Rayne eyed the small package as he handed it to her. She tore a corner of the envelope and looked inside before glancing at Tom in confusion. "It's a key."

Tom nodded, taking the envelope back and removing a shiny new key. "It's a key to this house. I wanted you to have it so you can come and go as you please without worrying about me being here. I just hope that one day you'll be coming more than going."

Rayne took the key from his hand and stared at it for a moment before looking up at him. She didn't want to forget this moment. It felt important and special as if Tom was officially making her part of his life. She sniffed back tears and smiled at him.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, Tom."

Tom just smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "You don't have to say anything, Ray. I love you and want you to know that you are welcome here anytime, whether I'm here or not."

Rayne smiled back at Tom, and when she did, her eyes show her feelings better than words could ever express. "I love you too, Tom."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next evening, Rayne let herself into the house with her new key, smiling like an idiot. She was greeted, as usual, by the two dogs and a yummy smell permeating the air around her. As she hung her coat up and dropped her handbag and messenger bag on the floor beside the coat tree, she could hear faint laughter coming from somewhere in the house.

She bent down and rifled through her bag until she found the gift bag stowed inside, then followed the sounds and smells into the kitchen, where she found Tom and Anna laughing uproariously at something Ben had said. She leaned against the door frame and grinned as the trio continued their revelry.

"Well, if this isn't a motley looking crew, I've never seen one."

Her smile grew when Tom's eyes lit up at the sight of her. As she watched him stop everything and come to her for a hug, she didn't think she'd ever get used to this feeling of contentment at just the sight of him.

"Hello, darling. How was your day?" Before she could answer him, he looked down at the gift bag in her hand and chuckled. "You didn't have to bring me a present, you know. You were enough."

Rayne rolled her eyes and chuckled as Tom lifted her off the floor for a moment in a bear hug before releasing her to hug Ben and Anna. "It's for Anna actually. Something I've been wanting to do for her, and just now got the chance to."

She handed the bag to a confused Anna, waiting with baited breath for the other woman to open her gift. She was excited to see her reaction and wasn't disappointed at all when Anna let out a small scream before pulling the replica of Dr. Strange's cape out of the bag and twirling around with it. Suddenly, she stopped and stared at Rayne.

"This isn't the real thing, is it?"

Rayne shook her head and laughed at the expressions on Tom and Ben's faces. "No, just a very good copy." She winked at Anna before adding. "Just don't let anyone know you have that. There's enough of a difference between the two cloaks for me to have plausible deniability, but just in case, let's keep it hush hush."

Anna crossed the room and gave her a tight hug, whispering in Rayne's ear. "Thank you so much, sweetie. You have no idea what this means to me."

Rayne squeezed her friend back just as tightly. "Don't mention it. Just enjoy it."

Rayne and Anna shared a giggle and a knowing smile as the guys announced that dinner was served in the dining room. As Ben and Anna walked ahead of them, Tom wrapped an arm around Rayne's shoulders and leaned in to whisper to her.

"That was a wonderful present you gave Anna, luv."

Rayne nodded and blushed lightly. "She's a lovely person and I wanted to do something to make her happy, that's all."

Tom just nodded as they joined their guests at the table. They all engaged in small talk during dinner, mostly about the movie and how things were wrapping up. Once they were finished eating, Anna looked at Rayne with a smile.

"Tom tells us that you're ready to find your birth parents."

Rayne shrugged and grinned. "I don't know if "ready" is the word, but I think I need to do this."

Anna nodded understandingly before reaching over to squeeze Rayne's hand. "Well, I want you to know that if you need anything, even if it's just an ear to listen while you vent, I'm always just a phone call away. I mean it."

Rayne gave Anna's hand a squeeze back and smiled at her. "I appreciate that, and I'll probably take you up on it at some point."

Anna winked at her. "See that you do."

The rest of the evening, the four of them talked and laughed as if they had all been friends forever. Rayne realized how lucky she was to have these people in her life and swore to never take them for granted.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_A Week Later_

"Do I have everything?"

Rayne looks around the bedroom for probably the hundredth time, trying to spy anything she might have forgotten. Tom was sitting on the side of the bed, petting Woof and looking as sad as the dog at the prospect of their imminent departure. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Tom reluctantly stood and moved toward the en-suite. "I'll check in the bath for you."

Rayne nodded distractedly before checking all the dresser drawers and the closet, finding nothing hiding in either spot. She zipped her bag shut as Tom came back empty-handed with Woof in tow. Baci ambled into the room and stopped beside Woof, both dogs whining at each other, every so often giving looks to their humans as if asking for a pardon. Rayne groaned as both dogs and Tom looked at her solemnly.

"Oh come on! I can't help it that we have to leave. It's just the way it is."

Tom gave her a small smile before looking down at the two canines. "Do you suppose they see themselves as married?"

Rayne grinned at that thought before shrugging. "Maybe. I mean, it's possible. At the very least, I'm sure they see each other as mates."

Tom drew her closer so that he could wrap his arms around her in a tight hug. "You know all of this could be avoided if we lived together."

Rayne ignored the thrill she felt at his words, instead leaning back to look up at him. "Oh, are you moving to L.A.?"

Tom gave a rueful smile and a small shake of his head. "Well, no, but... "

Rayne winked at him. "Exactly."

Tom sighed before taking her in his arms for yet another hug. Rayne felt like that was all they had done since rising this morning, not that she was complaining. "I'm just going to miss you, darling. I don't mean to be melancholy, but life is just a bit brighter when you're near me."

Rayne sighed, squeezing him closer. "I'm going to miss you too, babe, but it's only for a couple of weeks. Then we'll see each other again."

Tom reluctantly let her loose to collect her things, nodding with a brighter smile on his face. "You're right, Ray. Pouting won't make the time any shorter."

Rayne smiled at him before walking over to retrieve something from her bag. She had stopped one day on the way home from work to have something made. She walked over to stand in front of Tom, her hand behind her back. She cleared her throat, making him chuckle at her.

"Eyes closed and hand out, please." Tom sighed but did as he was directed. Once Rayne placed the object in his hand, he opened his eyes and stared at it for a moment before looking at Rayne with a bewildered expression. She shrugged and gave him an impish grin. "It's the key to my place. I know you don't get to L.A. that often, but you know if you did, you could come and go as you pleased."

Tom reached out and pulled Rayne to him, clutching her tightly as he peppered her face with small kisses. "Thank you, darling. I love you so much. I feel like we're both finally on the same page and it's a glorious feeling."


	24. Jet-Lag And Easter Eggs

_Two Weeks Later_

Rayne sighed as she waited with Agnes for their luggage at Heathrow. She felt like she was living in airports these days, but was excited to see Tom again. Tom had sent a driver for them, who was collecting Woof while they got their bags. It had been a long two weeks, made busier by the dress orders she had received from a few celebrities. Agnes had been gobsmacked when Barbra Streisand had come by the shop personally to pick hers up. It had taken everything Rayne had in her to keep from laughing at the expression on the older woman's face. But, when Rayne looked at her now, she was frowning slightly.

"You've been awfully quiet. Everything ok?"

Agnes nodded as she yawned. "Yeah, I'm just beat. This week has been a bitch. I know you're at least as tired, if not more. You took on the brunt of the workload, I just helped out wherever I could."

Rayne nodded. "Yes, I am. I just want a bed at this point."

Agnes snickered. "Yeah, with a sexy Brit in it, huh?"

Rayne winked at her as their luggage finally came around. "Preferably, yes."

The older woman snickered as they trudged through the airport, finally making it outside to the waiting van. Like last time, Tom had provided a Sprinter for their ride home. He wasn't able to meet them this time around - as he had some meetings for his new film but, he would be home shortly after they got there and had left specific orders not to cook anything because he would be bringing something home for dinner.

Once they reached the house and Rayne let them in, she made quick work of making sure both dogs had food and water before showing Agnes where the guest room was. Once Agnes was squared away, Rayne headed for their bedroom, starting to disrobe before she even made it inside the room. She fell face down on the bed in her underwear, practically asleep before her head hit the pillow, and that's where Tom found her when he arrived home an hour later. He chuckled quietly at the sight of her as he shut the bedroom door behind himself.

As Tom leaned against the door and watched her sleep for a few moments, he realized that he felt better than he had in two weeks. He thought to himself that it was almost time to have a talk about their living arrangements. A real one - not just poking at each other in fun. He knew that while they hadn't been back together very long, Rayne was his forever, and he didn't see any point in waiting for an appropriate time if indeed there was one.

He walked over to the side of the bed and sat down beside her hip, lightly skimming his hand down her back. He grinned as she fidgeted for a minute before settling back down. He leaned over her to kiss her shoulder, watching Rayne as she stirred to life. She blinked a few times before seeming to focus on his face and gave him a sleepy smile. "Hi."

Tom chuckled as he moved her hair back out of her face. "Hi there. Are you hungry, luv? I didn't really know what Agnes would like, so I brought home some pizza."

Rayne shook her head as she sat up, leaning on one elbow as she ran her other hand through his hair. "No, I'm not feeling particularly hungry right now - at least not for food, anyway."

She placed a hand on the back of Tom's neck and pulled him closer, earning herself a low growl from him as their lips met for the first time in days. He leaned her back gently, not breaking their kiss until Rayne was laying on her back and he was hovering above her. Just as Rayne reached between them to start unbuttoning his shirt, they heard a loud knock on the door followed by the amused voice of Agnes on the other side.

"Come on you two... Rayne, you really need to eat something. You can canoodle with lover boy later."

Rayne groaned as Tom snickered, levering himself up to sit beside her. "Dammit! Well, there's nothing quite like bringing extra birth control with you."

The look on Tom's face was priceless as he seemed to remember something. "Birth control! I never asked... Rayne, are you... "

This time it was Rayne's turn to snicker as she sat up and swung her legs out of bed. "Relax, Romeo. I'm on the pill." She shrugged. "Well, when I remember to take it, that is, but don't worry."

Tom looked a little relieved with that before chuckling. He licked his lips and watched her get dressed as he re-buttoned his shirt. "Speaking of birth control, or lack thereof, I believe Baci is in the family way. I have an appointment with her at the vet next week."

Rayne chuckled as she hugged Tom again before walking to the door. "Woof is going to be a daddy! How precious is that?"

Tom rolled his eyes as they headed toward the kitchen. "You only think it's precious because you won't be here to deal with it, darling."

Rayne turned to give him a sassy wink. "That might be true."

They entered the kitchen to find Agnes sitting at the table with a plate of pizza and a bottle of imported beer in front of her. She pointed at the open pizza box as Rayne opened the fridge to look for something to drink.

"You two come on over and have some of this amazing pizza."

Rayne scrunched up her nose and shook her head. "Not right now, thanks. I'm not really hungry right now. My stomach has been a little weird lately. Jet lag, probably."

Agnes gave a slight frown as Tom grabbed a huge slice and sat down at the table. Rayne leaned against a counter just opposite the table, slowly sipping her ginger ale. "So, what's our itinerary for the next two days?"

Tom chewed and thoughtfully swallowed before answering. "Well, tonight we're just going to relax a bit. I thought you two might appreciate a quiet evening at home." Both women nod in agreement that they would indeed welcome a little more time to relax, making him laugh before continuing. "Then, tomorrow afternoon, I thought we would head to mum's and spend the night before church and Easter dinner on Sunday."

Rayne grinned as she waved a hand between all of them and the dogs running around. "And is your mother aware of the circus that you're bringing?"

Tom tapped his chin and smiled. "Yes, she has been apprised of the situation."

Rayne grinned as Agnes stood up to stretch before carrying her plate over to the sink. "Well, kids - I'm off to bed. See you all in the morning."

Rayne and Tom said goodnight before cleaning up and letting the dogs out to run the backyard for a few minutes. Tom wrapped his arms around Rayne, letting his hands slide under her shirt as she kissed him. He leaned down, to let his head rest in the crook of her shoulder and whispered in her ear: "Would you like to pick up where we left off earlier, darling?"

Rayne sighed as she rubbed a hand up and down Tom's back. "I would, I really would. But I'm so exhausted, babe. I'm afraid I'd just fall asleep on you. Can I have a raincheck?"

Tom looked down at Rayne with an expression of understanding on his face. "Of course, darling. Let's go to bed, yeah?"

Rayne nodded as Tom coaxed her in the direction of the hallway, watching her walk unsteadily for a minute before turning to bring the dogs back in and lock up for the night. By the time he got to the bedroom, Rayne was fast asleep, all tucked in and bundled up in the blankets.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Rayne stretched and tried to move but felt weighed down. She lifted her head to see a riot of unruly curls laying on her chest. She grinned as she brushed a hand up and down Tom's back, trying to wake him gently. He stirred a little, simply turning his head and nuzzling the side of her breast with his nose. He gave a contented sigh, making Rayne giggle as she ran a hand through his hair.

"Come on, sleepyhead. It's time to get up. I'm sure the dogs need to go out."

Tom groaned before shaking his head. "I let them out already, just a little while ago, Agnes has had her breakfast and is currently reading the morning paper. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to lay here with my naked girlfriend and enjoy the fact that I can do so."

Rayne chuckled at that and rubbed her leg up and down his in response. "What if said naked girlfriend is hungry?"

Tom lazily lifted his head at that to look at her with sleepy eyes. "Is she, now?"

Rayne grinned and shook her head, making Tom grin back at her and stretch up to give her a kiss. "No, but there are so many other things you could be doing with her right now."

At that, Tom levered himself so that he was poised over Rayne, resting on his forearms. Then, he leaned in to playfully nuzzle the shell of her ear. "Yes, you're absolutely right, darling. We could go for a run, or go shopping, or take in a movie... "

Rayne groaned as she pulled his smirking face back up to hers. "Or you could shag the naked girlfriend silly."

Tom bit his lip as Rayne watched his eyes go dark. "Have I ever told you how much I enjoy it when you're naughty thoughts just come tumbling out of your thought bubble without any prompting from me?"

Rayne looked down between them and snickered. "Well, you're to blame for those naughty thoughts as much as anything, babe. I mean, you're just as naked as I am, and you seem very...  _ready_."

Tom snorted as he kissed her neck. "Well, darling, I'm almost always up for it when you're close enough for me to touch you."

Rayne practically purred as Tom sought out that favorite spot of his on her neck. "Well, Mr. Hiddleston, I think you should show me just how ready you are."

Tom chuckled before nipping at said spot. "Oh, Ms. Ellison, I thought you'd never ask."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne stopped short and stared as they walked out of the house to load the car. She turned to Tom as he chuckled at the surprised look on her face.

"I thought you had a Jag. I was wondering how we were going to fit everyone in it."

Tom walked to the back of the midsize SUV and opened the back. "Well, luv, technically this is a Jag, just a different one. This is an F-Pace, my usual F-Type is in storage for a bit. I thought this one would be much more practical." He ran a hand lovingly over the front fender. "Took delivery of her just last week."

Rayne nodded as she eyed the glimmering red vehicle. "Well, it's a beauty, I'll say that."

Agnes approached the car carrying her tote bag in one hand and Woof on his lead in the other. Rayne handed Tom her bag and went back inside for Baci, and soon everyone was loaded and ready to go. On the way to their Easter outing, Rayne spent a little while staring out the passenger window as Tom and Agnes exchanged small talk about the weather. Finally, Tom pulled her from her thoughts by giving her thigh a light squeeze.

"Penny for your thoughts, darling? You've been awfully quiet since we left home. Anything wrong?"

Rayne gave her head a small shake as she turned to look over at him. "I don't know. I'm a little nervous. I've never met parents before."

Tom chuckled before picking up her hand and leaving a kiss on the back of it. "You'll be fine, Ray. Mum and dad and all the rest will love you."

Rayne grinned at him as Agnes chuckled from the back seat. "Let's hope so."


	25. It's A Pleasure To Meet You

 

Rayne clutched Woof's leash tightly in her hand as she followed Tom up the sidewalk to his mother's house. As the door slowly opened, Rayne wished she were anywhere but there as Tom's mother stepped through to welcome her son. She wiped a suddenly sweaty palm over her skirt as Tom turned to her with an arm around his mother's shoulders.

"Mum, this is Rayne Ellison, my girlfriend, and her dog, Woof." Tom smiled at her, trying to give her a silent confidence boost. "Rayne, this is my mother, Diana Hiddleston."

Rayne took a deep breath and stepped forward with her hand out to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hiddleston."

Diana waved a dismissive hand as she stepped forward to take Rayne into a strong hug. "Diana please." She moved back somewhat to look at Rayne, smiling. "My, aren't you a gorgeous thing!"

Rayne just smiled as Tom introduced his mother to Agnes, who received a hug as well. Rayne looked and saw two women coming out the front door and smiled at the resemblance between them and Tom. The older of the two introduced herself as Sarah, Tom's oldest sister, and the other as Emma, the youngest. As everyone started inside, Tom wrapped an arm around Rayne's waist and leaned in for a kiss.

"See, darling? I told you mum would love you." He smiled down at her before taking Woof's lead from her. "Come on, let's get Woof and Baci settled. They must be hungry."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne sat back on the couch and smiled at the mayhem going on around her. They had just finished dinner and everyone was gathered in the family room. There was a huge group: Tom, herself, Agnes, Diana, Emma and her husband, Sarah and her husband, numerous nieces, and nephews, and of course, the dogs. The only one that seemed to be missing was Tom's father, James, and he was coming in the morning for church. Tom's sisters and their families weren't spending the night, as Emma lived nearby and Sarah's brood would stay at her house.

Presently, Tom and his sisters were arguing over what movie they all would watch. Agnes had retired for the night, saying that she still wasn't completely over her jetlag. She heard Diana chuckle as she sat down beside her, shaking her head.

"Some things never change, even with as old as they are. Tom still wants to watch  _The Wizard Of Oz_ , while the girls want to watch  _Easter Parade_. Of course, in the end, we'll end up watching both, but it's fun to watch them squabble like the old days." Rayne chuckled as Diana smiled at her. "I have to say that when Tom said you were coming, I had my doubts. You see, he's had a few female friends through the years, and I was honestly dreading another one that would want to fight with him the entire time he was here, or would just act like she didn't want to be here at all. I'm happy to say that you are a delight, darling."

Rayne snickered as Tom looked over and winked at her before going back to the argument at hand. "I have to say that I wasn't excited about meeting any of you either. I've never met a boyfriend's parents. I was terrified."

Diana laughed in delight before reaching over to take Rayne's hand in hers. "Well, I do hope we put you at ease. I want you to be comfortable here. I can see that you're important to Tom, and that makes you important to the rest of us."

They let the conversation lapse as Tom, with the help of his nieces and nephews, won the argument over the movie. As they all settled in to watch, Tom sat on the floor in front of Rayne so that she could reach down and stroke his hair every so often. Before long, Baci and Woof were on either side of Tom with their heads in his lap for petting as he watched the movie.

When the first movie went off, Rayne said her good nights with a promise from Tom that he wouldn't be long and headed up to Tom's boyhood room. Like Agnes, she was still feeling the effects of their flight over. Just the thought of walking onto another plane tomorrow evening made her even more tired. She gave a vague thought to the fact that she may need some vitamins if she were going to continue these transatlantic flights.

Tom found Rayne in the shower, leaning against the wall and letting the hot water cascade down her body. He grinned slightly as he pulled the curtain back and climbed in with her. Not once did she even open her eyes to acknowledge his presence, not even when he turned her so he could wash her hair for her. After he finished, he turned the water off and took her into his arms, carrying her out of the bathroom and into his small bedroom.

"Poor darling, you really are done in, aren't you? You should have waited for me." Rayne just gave him a small smile as he dried her off quickly. He frowned at her in concern. "I don't think you ate more than two bites at dinner. Are you still feeling sick?"

Rayne sighed and shook her head. "Not exactly. I think that was nerves more than anything else." She took his face in her hands to make him look at her. "I'm fine, baby. Really."

Tom gave her a smile before leaning in for a peck on the lips. "Well, alright, but I expect you to eat tomorrow, and not just chocolate."

Rayne laughed as she watched him dry himself off before hopping into bed beside her. "You think you know me pretty well, don't you?"

Tom chuckled as he nodded, arranging the covers so he could lay next to her. "Why, yes, yes I do. Although I'm content to spend the rest of my days learning more."

Rayne smiled as she rubbed her nose against Tom's, then winked at him before snuggling down beside him with an arm wrapped around his waist. "You're smooth, I'll give you that, but you're not getting laid at your mother's house. That's just creepy."

Tom barked out surprised laughter before squeezing her closer and kissing her on the top of the head. "Well, alright, darling, but it was always a dream of mine when I was a teen to lose my virginity to a hot girl in my own bed."

Rayne snorted as she laughed into his side. "You, sir, are nowhere near a virgin, so I guess that dream died."

Tom gave a mock sigh before snickering. "Oh well, I guess it's just as well." He squeezed her close one more time. "Good night, darling."

Rayne yawned tiredly. "Good night, love."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne laughed as Tom ran around the yard with the kids, looking for Easter eggs. After a wonderful breakfast, which Rayne ate ravenously much to Tom's relief, they had all gone to church and were now back at Diana's house for dinner. Agnes was currently yelling at Woof, trying to keep him from chasing the smaller children. He wanted to play as well and just didn't realize that he was far bigger than some of them.

Tom's father James had arrived before they all left for Easter services, and although he was more reserved in welcoming Rayne into the fold, he was pleasant. Rayne was so focused on watching Tom with the children that she didn't notice Emma standing beside her until she spoke,

"Tom says that you have to leave tonight to head back to the states." She grinned as the baby she was holding squirmed, holding her hands out to Rayne to be held. Rayne took her and bounced her a little in her arms, making the little girl giggle before settling down in Rayne's arms. "You two don't get much time together, do you?"

Rayne shook her head and sighed as she watched the big man-child at play. "No, unfortunately. Not right now, at least. Hopefully, one of us will get a break soon and we'll be able to see each other more."

Emma just grinned as they both watched Tom walking their way. "Well, if you are meant to be together, it will work itself out." She nudged Rayne with her elbow. "If you want my opinion? I've never seen Tom this happy. I think you two are meant to be."

She walked off as Tom reached Rayne, holding a hand out in front of himself. "I've fought the enemy and won the fair princess a prize." Rayne laughed then winced when the sleeping baby in her arms stirred. She smiled when Tom opened his hand to reveal a brightly wrapped chocolate egg. Tom smiled and reached out a hand to run a finger down the baby's cheek. "I have to say that you look quite natural with a baby in your arms, luv."

Rayne grinned then whispered to him, making him snicker. "Well, maybe so, but don't get any ideas, mister."

"Oh, don't worry darling. We'll have a conversation first, I'm sure."

Before Rayne could come up with a reply, Sarah was calling everyone inside for dinner. They all had a delicious meal, but what struck Rayne was how laidback and fun everyone was. Nobody argued, not even the children. There was a sense of camaraderie and family that touched her for some reason. When it was finally time for them to leave, and they were all loaded back into the car, Rayne was surprised to find a stray tear or two running down her face. Although she'd only known them for a day or so, she was going to miss the Hiddleston's.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_One Month Later_

"Mel, have you seen Agnes today?"

Melanie shook her head no as Rayne frowned and walked over to her workstation in the corner of the room. She hadn't really seen Agnes for several days, and she'd been acting strange for at least two weeks. Ever since she had lunch with her lawyer, she'd made herself scarce, only coming to work when she had to and hiding from everyone the rest of the time, which was difficult since Rayne lived in the apartment above Agnes's garage.

"No, I haven't seen her yet. Did you need something?"

Rayne shook her head as she grabbed her jacket and bag from the back of her chair. "No. If you see her before I get back, will you tell her that I have a meeting with my lawyer? I don't know how long it will take."

Melanie smiled and nodded. "Sure, I'll let her know for you."

Rayne nodded and gave a small wave as she walked out the door of the workshop and down the hall to the elevator. Gavin had called earlier saying that he had some information that he needed to share with her as soon as she was available. Although Tom had said that he wanted her to keep him up to date on the birth parents front, she didn't really want to call him until she knew more. She knew that he was busy wrapping up Early Man, a new movie he was lending his voice to, and she didn't want to interrupt him unnecessarily.

As she unlocked her car, she rubbed her stomach and frowned slightly. She had thought at first that jetlag and just general exhaustion was playing with her stomach, but now she wasn't so sure. Maybe she was developing an ulcer. She made a mental note to make an appointment with her doctor as she pulled out into the late morning traffic.

She made it to the lawyer's offices with a few minutes to spare, finding a parking space close to the building. Gavin met her at the door to reception with a small smile on his face. He looked concerned about something, but Rayne didn't have time to give it much thought before he whisked her down the hall to his office.

Twenty minutes later, the door to Gavin's office swung open on its hinges, banging the paneled wall behind it. At the same moment, a door down the hall opened and Mr. Emerson walked out with Agnes behind him. Whatever they were talking about stopped as they saw Rayne standing in the hallway staring at them. She pointed a shaky finger at Agnes, glaring at the now worried-looking woman.

"Did you know?! All this time? Did you?"

Agnes shook her head in denial. "No! I swear, Ray, I... "

Rayne cut her off, screaming at the older woman. "I trusted you! All this time, I trusted you. You were like a... oh my god, I can't do this!"

Rayne started for the door, Agnes right behind her. She put a hand out to stop the younger woman, and Rayne wrenched away from her as if burned. "Where are you going? To Tom? You need to... "

"Don't tell me what to do! I just need to get away! I just need to be alone."

That was the last thing Rayne said to anyone as she practically ran out the front door and to her car.


	26. Hiding Out

 

Tom answered Agnes's call with a slight frown on his face. He'd been expecting Rayne to call, but perhaps she was busy with work.

"Agnes! How are you darling?"

He was instantly worried by the agitated sound of Agnes's voice. "I don't have time for chit-chat, Tom! Have you heard from Rayne?"

"No, Agnes, I haven't, although I've been expecting her call. Is something wrong?"

He heard a quiet sob come from the other end of the call and instantly feared what she was about to say, although he was in no way expecting what was to come. "She knows. I was trying to figure out a way to tell her, but Gavin beat me to it."

Tom knew he sounded as confused as he felt. "What exactly does she know? You aren't making sense."

Agnes sighed before answering. "I'm her mother, Tom. She found out. She left... I thought maybe she would go to you, but... god, I don't know where she is now. She won't answer my calls."

It took Tom a few minutes to process what she'd said. He rubbed his neck as he shook his head. "Oh my god! Poor Rayne." He blew out a breath. "Ok, let me try to reach her. I'll let you know if I hear anything."

After a quick goodbye, Tom ended the call and immediately tried to reach Rayne to no avail. With a frustrated sigh, he kept trying to reach his girl, worried more by the minute.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne looked at her phone laying on the table beside her chair and wondered when it would stop ringing. It had been making noise for three days now. She didn't check her email. She didn't check her voicemails, knowing that it was full by now. She didn't look at her texts either. She knew she should call Tom, or at least return his texts. She'd never gone for this long and not talked to him since they had been back together. She knew he probably already knew by now that she was MIA and would be extremely worried about her but she just didn't know what to say.

How did she explain? How did she find the words to say that everything she believed as real and right was all wrong? She sighed and ran a hand through her hair as her phone started ringing again. She did look this time, seeing that it was Tom. With another sigh, she picked up her phone and pressed the button.

"Hi."

"Rayne! Thank god, darling. I can't tell you what was going through my mind! Agnes has called me constantly for three days. Where are you, Ray? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, really. I just needed a few days away from everyone."

There was a long silence before Tom answered in a more subdued voice. "Even me?"

Rayen blew out a long breath. "You know that's not what I meant. There's a lot of heavy shit going on right now, babe. It's nothing against you, but I need to clear my mind, figure things out."

There was silence between them for a few minutes before Tom spoke again. "Will you tell me where you are?"

Rayne thought for a moment before nodding to herself. "Palm Island."

"Bloody hell, darling. You really did want to get away from it all, didn't you?"

Rayne found herself grinning despite the hurt she was going through. Tom could put a smile on her face, anytime he wanted to. "Yeah, guess so." She was quiet for a moment before continuing. "So... do you know?"

She heard Tom sigh on his end of the line. "Yes, baby, I do. Are you ok?" They both snickered at the same time. "Ok, yeah, that was a stupid question. Are you physically well?"

Rayne sighed. "Yeah. I mean, my stomach is still weird, but it's not like I don't have a lot of stress at the moment."

"Well, please try to take care of yourself. We don't need you getting sick on top of everything else."

"I'll try." Rayne ran a hand through her hair. "So, you're ok with me being gone a bit longer?"

"Am I ok with it? Bloody hell, Ray. Of course, I'm not ' _ok'_  with it, but I do trust you. I also trust that if you need me in particular, you'd let me know. Immediately, if not sooner." Tom furrowed his brow and rubbed his forehead. "I respect your need to take some time while you're working things through. I won't intrude on you, darling."

Rayne smiled to herself. "I love you, Tom, you know? More than anyone else."

"I know baby, and I love you. More than you know." She heard him sigh softly before continuing. "Perhaps you should call Agnes. Just to let her know that you're in one piece."

Rayne almost threw her phone across the room. "No!" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to dial back the anger. "No, Tom. I just can't do that right now. Just, can't... I don't want her to know where I am, ok?"

"Alright darling, we'll do it your way for now. Listen to me, though. I want you to rest up and eat as much as your stomach will let you, yeah?"

Rayne rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, Tom. I know."

"And you'll call me if it gets to be too much inside that head of yours."

Rayne knew that probably wasn't going to happen. "Ok." She looked out toward the beach. "I'm going to get off of here for now. I might take a swim."

She heard Tom sigh on his end of the conversation. "Alright, darling. I love you."

"Love you too, babe."

"Talk soon, yes?"

Rayne grinned to herself. "Yes, sir."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom ended his call with Rayne and immediately hit a speed dial button. Within three rings, his call was answered.

"Hey mate, what are you and Anna doing right now?"

An hour later, Ben and Anna were sitting on Tom's couch, staring in horrified fascination as Tom filled them in on everything that had happened. Once Tom was finished, Ben shook his head and sighed.

"You know, I always thought that Rayne and Agnes favored each other an awful lot for two people who weren't related. Guess we all know differently now, don't we?"

Tom just gave him a small smile as Anna slapped her husband on the arm. "Benedict...Stop that!" She shook her head. "Rayne must be questioning her entire life right now. She's gotta be feeling like she's losing her mind a little bit." Anna closed her eyes and shook her head again. "Where is she, Tommy? With everything that's going on, I assumed she'd come here to be with you."

This time, Tom chuckled. "And you would have assumed wrong, Anna love. No, Rayne is the type that makes sense of her feelings by internalizing everything, and if something is too big for that, she hides away until she can sort through it. Right now, she's hiding on Palm Island, which brings me to the crux of this conversation." He looked down at the carpet for a moment before continuing. "I promised her I wouldn't interfere in her personal time, but... I can't just sit here and do nothing. I thought perhaps if you were free, you could... "

Anna held up a hand. "Say no more. I'll clear my schedule and be on the next flight out."

Tom breathed a sigh of relief before nodding. "Thank you. It's not that I think she'll come to any harm, I would just like someone on the ground there that could tell me if she is in fact alright." He grinned and then breathed another sigh of relief. For the first time since he'd found out about Rayne's predicament, he was actually beginning to feel a little better about the whole situation. "I have someone else that I would like to tag along if that's alright. I think she could help."

Anna gave Tom a soft smile and a nod. "Of course, whatever you think is best. And there really is no need to thank me. Rayne is my friend, too." She looked at both men in turn before continuing. "Maybe in a couple of days, you two could head there too. She wouldn't have to know that you were there, but you might feel a little better being in the same place. Just in case."

Tom nodded. He had already had nearly the same thought. "Yes, that would make me feel a lot better." He sighed again before shaking his head. "What a mess this is. I know she wants to handle this all by herself, but my first instinct is to go to wherever she is, to take her in my arms and let her cry if she needs to, I just... I want to protect her."

Anna leaned forward from her spot on the sofa to squeeze Tom's hand. "That's perfectly understandable, Tom, and Rayne knows that. That's probably why she even called in the first place. She wants to keep you in the loop, sweetie. But, she definitely needs a little bit of room to breathe. I don't think it would hurt a single thing for us to rock up and at least look in on her, just this once. This is a pretty big deal, after all. She's going to need our support. Rayne needs to know that we've got her back."

Tom nodded, feeling better about his decision by the minute. It wasn't like he was planning a full-scale intervention, he just wanted to make sure she was taking care of herself. He knew she'd probably be angry at first, but hopefully, she'd grow to understand his reasoning...

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anna looked at the door of the bungalow in front of her before turning to the woman at her side with a small grin and a shrug. "I suppose this is the place. Are we ready for battle?"

The other woman chuckled as she raised her fist to knock on the door. "I've had three kids, darling. I'm always ready for a scrap."

After a few seconds, the door swung open and they were faced with a pale, bedraggled looking Rayne. Her hair was hanging in limp, damp strands around her face, and it looked like she'd been sleeping in the tank top and leggings that she was wearing. She rolled her eyes at the women and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You two lost, or something? London didn't suddenly float across the Atlantic overnight, did it?"

Anna snorted as Diana shook a finger at Rayne. "Don't you get stroppy with me, young lady." She stepped past the younger woman into Rayne's hotel room. "Why don't I order some tea while you take a shower, sweetheart? We have things to discuss."

Rayne shook her head and growled quietly to herself as Anna brought hers and Diana's bags inside and shut the door. "Look, we have nothing to discuss. I told Tom I was fine. If he doesn't trust me, then that's not my... "

Diana held up a hand for silence, which shut Rayne down just as quickly as if she were one of her own children. "Darling, you've had a shock. A terrible one." She laid a caring hand on Rayne's cheek and smiled at her gently. "Yes, you told Tom that you were fine and just needed a little time, and that's all very understandable - but you've had four days to wallow in all of this. Now is the time to vent, to scream, to cry, and to move on and figure out what to do about all of this new information. Tom loves you and didn't want you to go through this alone, so he sent us in his stead. We all love you and we are more than willing to help you get through to the other side." She patted Rayne's cheek once more before placing a firm hand on her shoulder and deliberately turning her toward the bathroom. "Now, you shower, and I'll order up some room service. Anna here will put our things away. Perhaps we'll tidy up just a bit as well."

Rayne sniffed back tears and nodded before heading toward the bathroom. She didn't want to admit it just yet, but deep down she was happy to see the other two women. Perhaps they really could help her figure things out.


	27. A Different Reality

 

When Rayne finished with her shower, she walked out to the living room to find Diana on the couch and Anna looking out the window by the front door. When she heard Rayne, she turned and smiled.

"No offense meant because this is a beautiful place, but what on earth made you pick Palm Island to retreat to?"

Rayne shrugged as she sat down on the opposite end of the couch from Diana. "My parents brought me here for vacation the year before they died. I've loved it ever since. It was my hiding spot, nobody knew about it." She grinned and shook her head. "Well, they do now I suppose."

Diana chuckled. "Well, darling, I have to say - I know my son. You wouldn't be able to hide from him for very long, anyway."

There was a knock on the door, and Anna opened it to find a young man with a rolling food cart. She moved back so he could enter, giving the women a smile as he placed the cart near the sofa. "Enjoy your dinner, ladies. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask."

Rayne just gave him a small smile as Diana flashed that Hiddleston charm, making the young man blush as he left. Anna walked over to sit down in the overstuffed armchair opposite the couch as Diana went to make a plate. She walked back over to hand Rayne a filled plate and the younger woman sighed and crinkled her nose as she took it.

"Isn't there some soup or broth, or something?"

Diana gave her  _'the mom_ ' look and shook her head. "No, there's shrimp salad. You can't survive on broth, darling." She gave Rayne a once-over before speaking again. "You were sick at Easter, weren't you? Have you seen a doctor?"

Rayne shook her head, picking at her salad with her fork. "No, I'm sure it's just stress. If my life ever evens out, I'm sure I'll be fine."

Diana glanced at Anna before nodding to herself. "Well, I'm sure you're right, darling."

They all ate in silence for a few minutes before Anna cleared her throat. "Speaking of life evening out... how are you taking all of these changes?"

Rayne sighed as she sat her plate with her half-eaten dinner on the table in front of her. "As well as can be expected I suppose. I mean, everything has changed, and not for the better. My whole life has been a lie."

Anna shook her head. "No, sweetie. That's not true. Yes, you were adopted and your parents chose to not tell you. I mean, you might have never known if it wasn't for that safe deposit box in Alabama. But that doesn't mean they loved you any less. Honestly, they probably loved you more than the average child."

Rayne gave her a small grin. "Yeah, that's almost exactly what Tom said. He said I was special to my parents because they got to pick me."

Diana chuckled as she patted Rayne on the knee. "My son is right, Rayne. I can't imagine loving my children any more than I already do, but to think that your parents, along with so many other adoptive parents, got to choose you. They got exactly who they wanted. You must have been very special for them to look at you and decide, 'yes, that's her'."

Rayne snorted and shook her head. "Yeah, I sure was special. So special that my own mother didn't want me, and willingly gave me away to strangers."

Diana clucked her tongue at Rayne and looked at her crossly. "Hold on a minute, darling. You don't know what the circumstances were behind your adoption. Agnes might not have had a choice. And frankly, until you talk to her, you aren't going to know." She looked at Anna before proceeding. "Have you given any thought to talking all of this out with her?"

Rayne shook her head trying with all her might to fight against accepting what Diana had just told her. Unfortunately, she could no longer deny her feelings and, before she knew it, her chin began to quiver just a bit. Then, Rayne took a deep breath, screwed her eyes shut in an attempt to stop herself from dissolving into tears.

"I can't, Diana. Not yet. I don't even know how I'd..."

Before she could stop herself, Rayne had curled herself into a ball and burst into tears.

Diana rushed to her side to gather her in a loving embrace, slowly rocking her back and forth as Anna nodded, and quietly left the bungalow.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom was pacing the floor of his and Ben's bungalow when there was a knock on the door and Anna came walking in. She headed for the comfort of Ben's arms for a moment before looking over at Tom.

"She's a mess, Tom. I'm glad that you had this idea."

Tom scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "Is she at least eating and sleeping?"

Anna mirrored his sigh with one of her own. "I think she's been getting plenty of rest, but as for eating... Diana managed to get her to eat a little bit of dinner, but she wasn't thrilled." She gave Tom a sad smile as Ben kissed her sweetly on the forehead. "She was crying in Diana's arms, so I slipped out to give them some privacy. Maybe she'll be ready for you to show up at her door by tomorrow, but not tonight I'm afraid."

Tom just nodded as he looked at his two best friends. "Well, I'll be here whenever she's ready. I'm not going anywhere."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_The Next Day_

Rayne looked at the item in Anna's hand with dawning horror, shaking her head wildly.

"No! No, no, no! There's no way!"

Anna just arched a brow as Diana snickered quietly from her place in the kitchenette.

"Of course, there's a way. You, by your own admission, forget to take your pill quite regularly. Now, before, that wasn't a huge problem, but since you and Tom have been back together... I just think, if nothing else, it'll rule out one possibility."

Rayne gave Anna a snarky look. "Why are you carrying pregnancy tests around with you anyway?"

Anna chuckled as Rayne took the test from her, holding it gingerly as if at any moment it would come alive and bite her. "Ben and I have been trying, kind of, so I carry a couple of these in my luggage." She pointed toward the bathroom with one hand and gently pushed Rayne with the other. "Now, scoot. I, for one, want to know. I'm sure Diana does as well."

Rayne went off to use the restroom, mumbling to herself about meddling women. Five minutes later, Rayne was staring at the stick in her hand and biting her lip. She took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom, leaving the test laying on the counter.

When she walked back into the living room, she was met with a surprise. Tom and Ben were sitting on the couch with Anna, chatting quietly. Rayne groaned, causing all heads to turn her way. She plastered an unenthusiastic smile on her face as she approached the group.

"Where's Diana?"

Anna gave her a telling look. "She took Woof for a walk on the beach. Why don't you help me make some coffee?"

Rayne nodded quickly and made a beeline for the kitchenette. Once there, Anna stepped closer to speak quietly. "Well?"

Rayne took a deep breath before blowing it back out and grinning at Anna. "I'm pregnant." As soon as the words left her mouth, Anna let out a squeal and pulled her friend in for a hug. Rayne blinked once before speaking again. "Holy shit, I'm pregnant!" She pulled back from Anna enough to look into her friend's happy face. "What do I do now?"

Anna chuckled. "Well, the first thing you do is tell Tommy that he's going to be a daddy."

Before either could utter another word, they heard Ben bellow from the living room.

" _Andromeda Gale Eberhardt Cumberbatch, come here at once_!"

Anna cringed as Rayne looked at her in horror. "Oh shit! He found the test!"

They both went running into the living area, to find Tom and Ben staring at the small plastic stick in Ben's hand. The two men looked up as the women came in. Ben pointed at Anna with the stick.

"Does this mean what I think it means?"

Anna shrugged, grinning. "Well, it's definitely what you think it is, but it doesn't mean what you think it means."

Ben rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Well, that's as clear as bloody mud, now isn't it?"

Rayne sighed as she walked over and plucked the stick from Ben's fingers. "She means that it's mine."

She heard a groan and looked over to see Tom rubbing his head as he walked over to the couch. "What do you mean it's yours? It says pregnant."

Rayne nodded slowly, looking concerned for how pale Tom had suddenly become. He leaned over at the waist, holding his head in his hands as Ben and Rayne rushed over to him. They helped him sit down, but he was still holding his head. Rayne stooped over and lifted his head to make eye contact.

"Baby? I'm pregnant."

Ben took this as an opportunity for comedy. "Wow, first a grandfather, now a father. I think you got that backward, old man."

Tom just stared at Rayne for a moment before nodding woodenly. "Bloody hell."

Rayne sat down beside Tom as Ben looked at Anna. "Can't you do something for him?" He furrowed his brow and shrugged cluelessly.

Anna snorted, pointing at Tom. "I'm a psychologist, dude - not a physician. What would you like me to do?" She walked over and stooped down in front of Tom. "Tommy...? Rayne is preggers. How do you feel about that?"

In answer, Tom groaned again and laid down with his head in Rayne's lap, letting her run her fingers through his hair. Anna motioned for Ben to follow her and they left the two new future parents by themselves. A little while later, Diana came strolling in with Woof in tow, talking animatedly to the pup.

"You're such a good boy, Woof!" The dog gave a cheerful bark in response as Diana noticed the couple on the couch. "Oh! Hello, darlings. What's new?"

Rayne snorted as she suddenly got up, letting Tom's head bounce on the couch cushion as she took Woof's lead from Diana.

"Well, I'm pregnant and Tom's apparently in the middle of having an early mid-life crisis." She shook her head at the prone man before plastering on a sarcastic smile. "I think I'll just take Woof out on the terrace for a little bit more air. It's getting stuffy in here."

Diana waited until the door shut behind Rayne before smacking her son on the back. Tom sat up quickly, shooting his mother a dirty look. "What was that for? I've had a bit of a shock."

Diana folded her arms over her chest and glared at her son. "Thomas William Hiddleston, what have you done now?"

Tom picked the wrong time to be flippant. "Well, apparently I've impregnated Rayne. Have you caught up yet?"

This earned Tom another smack, this time to his arm, causing him to rub it. "You listen to me, young man. That is not the reaction I would have expected from a man who's wanted to be a father since he became an adult. That poor girl has enough going on without her thinking that you aren't absolutely over the moon about all this."

Tom looked horror-stricken at what his mum said. "I am happy, mum, just shocked!" His look turned to jubilance in the blink of an eye. "I'm going to be a father!"

Diana grinned at her son before turning him toward the terrace. "Well, you march right out there and let her know that you love her and are going to support her."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After letting Woof in, Tom shut the door behind himself. He stood quietly watching Rayne as she stared out at the waves. "Ray... I am happy, darling."

Rayne snorted but didn't turn to face him. He walked closer as she shook her head. "Well, you sure have a funny way of showing it."

Tom stopped right behind Rayne, letting his chin rest on her shoulder. He took it as a good sign when she didn't shrug him off.

"Well, darling, in my defense, it was a bit of a shock. You know how they say when you're about to die, that your life flashes in front of your eyes?" He waited for Rayne to nod before wrapping his arms around her waist and continuing. "Well, in this case, it was my future. I saw nappies and bottles, then playing dress up and tea parties. Soon, it was her first date, and walking her down the aisle. It scared the shit out of me for a minute or two, but darling, I'm couldn't be more thrilled, really." He turned Rayne until she faced him, his arms still firmly wrapped around her. "You know what makes me happiest about all of this?" She shook her head and snuck a look up at him, finding him smiling down at her. "That  _you_  are the mother of my child, darling. That is what the best part of all of this."

Rayne ran a hand up his chest to cup his cheek, biting her lip as she stared into his eyes. "Really?"

Tom chuckled, leaning down for a kiss. "Yes, really. I love you, Rayne."

Rayne smiled now, the relief evident on her face, and Tom regretted ever making her worry, even for a minute. "I love you too, Tom."


	28. Navigating New Paths

 

Rayne slowly woke to the feeling of someone softly tickling her on the cheek. She growled softly as she turned her head, thinking that it was Tom, but when she opened her eyes, she saw that he was still asleep, softly snoring beside her. She scrunched up her nose as she turned back the other way, finally seeing the cause of her aggravation. Anna, kneeling beside the bed with a mischievous smile on her face, waggling her fingers in a hello gesture. She put a finger to her lips as she giggled quietly.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. Grab your gear, let's go for a run."

Rayne groaned again, burying her face in her pillow for a moment before shaking her head. "What time is it?"

Anna looked down at her watch. "Just before 5 a.m."

Rayne sighed. "It's 5 a.m. and you're waking a pregnant woman to go for a run."

Anna quirked a brow and her grin widened. "Yup. The exercise will be good for you. Up and at 'em. Daylight's burning."

Rayne snorted as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "It's not even daylight yet, you goof. Give me five minutes."

Anna snickered as she nodded and walked out of the bedroom. Rayne ran a hand through her hair and grabbed her watch to put it on, then felt shifting behind her as Tom rolled over to snuggle around her and stroke her back with gentle, loving strokes.

"What's wrong, darling? Feeling sick?"

Rayne turned to Tom, shaking her head as she leaned over for a kiss. "No, I'm going for a run. Go back to sleep."

Tom sat up with a groan to look at the alarm clock on the bedside table. "Rayne darling, it's 5 in the bloody morning! You can't go running this early by yourself." He pulled on Rayne's hand, trying to coax her into joining him under the duvet. "Come back to bed and I'll go running with you when we wake again."

Rayne shook her head and stood up to walk over to the bureau. "I'm going with Anna. It was her idea actually." She quickly donned a pair of leggings and a tank top before walking back over to sit on the side of the bed and put her sneakers on. Once she was ready, she leaned over to kiss Tom before pulling the covers back over him. Despite his protests, he was already fast asleep again.

When she walked out into the main room, she found Anna leaning against the back of the couch holding two bottles of water. Rayne shook her head and chuckled as Anna tossed one of the bottles to her as they quietly headed for the front door, taking great care to softly shut it behind them. Neither woman spoke for a while, as they ran along in companionable silence. Both seemed to be enjoying the crisp morning air along with the view. The sun was breaking along the distant horizon, it's brightness and vibrant tropical hues coloring the ocean water. After a time, the women were running stride for stride, and Anna broke the silence.

"So, did you two kids celebrate the news of baby Hiddles last night?"

She imitated one of her husband's favorite expressions by pursing her lips and wagging a brow, making Rayne laugh as she shook her head. "No, we didn't talk about much of anything, really. We were both so exhausted last night that we fell asleep soon as our heads hit the pillow."

Anna nodded. "Well, that's understandable - you certainly have a lot on your plate right now. I'm not a bit surprised that you're so tired." She turned to look at her friend. "Have you made a decision about Agnes?"

Rayne blew out a breath and nodded. "Yeah. I think I'm gonna go home and have a talk with her. We need to clear the air if nothing else. I need to know the circumstances behind my adoption before I can make a clear decision." She looked at Anna and gave her a small grin. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to come back home with me? Help navigate the waters, so to speak?"

Anna chuckled and nodded. "For you...? Of course, I can. When are you planning on leaving?"

Rayne sighed. "In the next day or so. I haven't had that talk with Mr. Hiddleston as yet though."

Anna snickered as they slowed down a little. "That should be fun. I'm sure he's ready to cart you off to jolly old England."

Rayne chuckled. "Yeah, probably."

Anna was quiet for a few minutes before speaking again. "Have you given any real thought to how you'll deal with that? It's bound to come up."

Rayne jogged with her head down for a few moments before looking over at her friend. "I really don't know right now. I mean, I know that makes sense, and to Tom, it's the next logical step, but... I have other things to figure out first, you know?"

Anna nodded and smiled at Rayne. "Well, you know what they say, sweetie - all in good time."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So you aren't coming home with me?"

Rayne sighed as she plopped down at the kitchen table and reached for the platter of bacon. "No. I really need to go home. I have to talk to Agnes. Can't keep putting that off indefinitely." She looked around the table with a frown on her face as Tom sat opposite her, chuckling to himself. "Is there any coffee?"

Tom nodded. "There is decaf, yes,"

Rayne cringed. "Decaf is just brown water. Don't we have regular?"

Tom grinned as he took a bite of his eggs. He took his time chewing before answering. "No, darling, we have decaf. And before it occurs to you, don't bother calling for regular. You won't get it."

Rayne rolled her eyes in annoyance. There were few things that put her on edge faster than no coffee in the mornings. "Half-caf, then. C'mon Tom... it's my morning coffee. Seriously."

Tom just nodded and shrugged a shoulder. "Yes, darling, I know, and the minute you give birth I'll be the first person to run out to the nearest coffee shop to fetch up a double espresso for you. But, until then... decaf will have to suffice."

Rayne stabbed at her eggs. "When did you become so damned bossy?"

Tom chuckled before laying down his fork and offering a hand to Rayne. She took it and he pulled her over to sit in his lap. "I became bossy when you became pregnant." He kissed Rayne on the forehead and she laid her head on Tom's shoulder. "You have to know that I love you very much and want you and our baby both to be healthy. The better you eat, the easier this pregnancy will be."

Rayne nodded, blowing out a breath. "The minute I give birth to junior?"

Tom chuckled as he thoughtfully rubbed a hand across her belly. "Well, perhaps not the very minute, but I promise within the first hour."

Rayne groaned. "This is definitely going to be the longest pregnancy in recorded human history."

He licked his lips and grinned devilishly, then giggled: "Eeehehehee."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Los Angeles, California_

Agnes looked up at the knock on her office door to find Melanie standing there with a slight smile on her face. She cringed inwardly at the hesitant look on the girl's face and swore once more that she would make up for all the bitchiness she'd been throwing around since Rayne left. Agnes looked up to see Melanie pointing behind her to the waiting room. "Your appointment is here, Agnes."

Agnes shook her head and sighed to herself. "Ok, sweetie, let him in."

She had been dreading this meeting ever since making the phone call yesterday to set things in motion. Agnes had no idea what was going to happen, but she instinctively knew that it wasn't going to be pleasant. She stiffened her spine and sat up straighter when her guest marched through her office door with that smile that always made her heart flutter.

"Aggie. I was surprised when you called and wanted to meet with me. Usually, you pass me off to Rayne to talk business. I thought it was going to take something on the order of an act of god to see you again."

Agnes motioned to the chair opposite her desk and sat down as he did. "Well, Rayne is on vacation right now, but this isn't about business anyway. It's personal." She watched Sam lift a brow in surprise and tried to remember why they were both here. He always could get her attention with that look, she thought to herself as she sat up and leaned her elbows on the desk. "I've never been one to beat around the bush, so I'm just going to come out with the reason you're here."

Sam tilted his head slightly in her direction and quirked his mustache into a wily grin. "Ok, Aggie - you have the floor, darlin'. Why am I here?"

Agnes cleared her throat and nodded to herself and took a beat to collect her thoughts as she silently decided  _It's now or never_. "Sam... Do you remember the last time we were together?"

When a knowing grin lights up Sam's face, Agnes instantly regretted the way she'd begun this conversation. "Yes ma'am, I do indeed." He gave his mustache a little twirl and winked. "I was making that western and you came out for the weekend to visit."

She nodded, for a moment remembering all too well exactly how they spent that weekend. "Yeah so..." She blew out a hard breath before jumping in feet first. "I got pregnant that weekend."

Sam sat back in his chair, a look of shock coming across his face. "What? Why didn't you tell me? I would have... "

Agnes chuckled bitterly. "You would have what? Made it right? Settled down?" She shook her head. "We both know that wouldn't have worked." She sighed. "No. I was with Charlie then, as you know. That night shouldn't have happened, but it did, and I got pregnant."

Sam sat, staring down at his hands in his lap for a moment before replying. "So what happened? Did you... "

Agnes saved him from saying the obvious. "No, I didn't get rid of her. I gave her up for adoption." She looked at Sam. "What are you feeling?"

Sam shook his head and blew out a breath. "I won't lie and say I'm not upset. I'm pissed in fact." He narrowed his eyes and glared at Agnes. "Why on earth are you telling me now after all this time? Thirty-six years later?"

Agnes stood up and walked over to the window to stare out at the parking lot. "Rayne's parents were killed when she was sixteen. Recently, some information came to light about her being adopted. So, she's decided to look for her birth parents." Agnes gave a dry chuckle before continuing. "I found out a few days before she did." She turned to face a stunned Sam. "If you haven't pieced it together yet,  _we_  are her parents, Sam. She knows about me, but not you. Not yet anyway. I didn't want to tell her until I talked to you."

Sam scrubbed a hand over his face and let out a weary sigh before shaking his head. "Well, she needs to know." He looked at Agnes. "What happens now?"

Agnes sighed. "Between us or Rayne?"

Sam gave a small chuckle, again shaking his head. "You are still feisty, I'll give you that. Honestly, I came here today with the intent to try to reconnect with you. But I just don't know about that now. What I do know is that I want to meet my daughter."

Agnes snickered as he stood up to make his way toward the door. "You've already met her, Had lunch with her, in fact."

Sam paused with his hand on the door handle and looked at Agnes over his shoulder. "I had lunch with Rayne. Now... I want to meet  _my daughter_."  


	29. Crossing Oceans

 

The evening before leaving the island was a rather subdued affair, everyone in their own thoughts as they sat around the table on the terrace of the bungalow that Anna and Ben had taken over after Tom moved in with Rayne and Diana. Woof lay at Rayne's feet, enjoying the warm air as the humans sat chatting quietly. Diana poured herself more wine before glancing at Rayne with a smile on her face.

"Are you sure we can't coerce you into extending your holiday and coming to London for a visit?"

Rayne chuckled as Tom squeezes her hand where it lay on his thigh. "It's tempting, but no, I need to talk to Agnes before I lose my nerve and there are other things I need to take care of at home as well."

Tom nodded, lifting Rayne's hand to place a kiss on her knuckles. "Yes, darling, like going to the doctor and getting an official verdict on Junior."

Everyone chuckled as Diana yawned and waved a hand at Woof. "Come on, boy, let's be off to bed, yes?"

Tom nodded in agreement as they all stood up. He smiled at Rayne as she drained the last of her ice water. "How about a walk on the beach?" He looked up at the sky. "Sunset should be soon. A nice cap to a lovely holiday."

Rayne nodded as they all say their goodnights and leave. Hand in hand, they strolled across the warm sand, each thinking their own thoughts. For Rayne, she was wondering when she'd have another chance to make it here again. She smiled to herself as she realized that although she had always loved this place, it had been made all the better by Tom's presence. As if he knew she was thinking about him, Tom squeezed her hand, making her look up at his smiling face.

"A penny for your thoughts, luv."

Rayne chuckled as she leaned into Tom's side. "Oh, I was just thinking that this place is all the more special to me now."

Tom nodded as he let go of her hand to loop his arm around her shoulders, holding her close to him. "Yes, it is beautiful here, and it's very quiet and secluded. We could make this our special place to get away to."

Rayne nodded, looking out over the ocean and sighing. "I think that's a lovely idea."

Tom stopped and turned Rayne to face him, gathering her in his arms for a tight hug. "I love you, Rayne." She grinned up at him as he looked down at her with a bashful smile. "Oh, I know I say it a lot, but I feel like I can never say it enough. I've felt it for so long you see. Now that I'm able to openly say it, it feels amazing."

Rayne reached up to caress the side of Tom's face, watching him lean into the caress with a sigh. "I love you too, Tom, and no, you can never say it enough."

Tom gave Rayne a sly grin and she bit her lip to keep from letting loose the small moan she felt building. "How about we go back to our room, and I show you just how much I love you, yes?"

At her eager nod, he threw his head back and laughed heartily before sweeping her up in a bridal carry and striding across the now darkening beach toward their bungalow. Rayne was giggling wildly as Tom managed to open the door of the bungalow with her still in his arms before swinging through and shutting the door with his foot.

Tom laughed as he strode down the hallway leading to the bedrooms, glancing down at a still giggling Rayne. "Shhh, darling. You'll wake mum."

"Then put me down, ya weirdo."

Tom shook his head and continued on until they reached their bedroom door. "I don't think I'll be taking my hands off you until we leave tomorrow morning."

Rayne giggled against Tom's shoulder as he shut the door soundlessly behind them. "Oh my... any other body parts you'd like to keep on me?"

Tom gave the most sinful laugh she's ever heard from him as he laid her down gently on the bed and stretched himself on top of her. "Wouldn't you rather I show you?"

Rayne nodded quickly before leaning up and capturing Tom's lips in a searing kiss, leaving them both breathless. They locked eyes with a carnal sense of urgency replacing the lighthearted feelings of just a moment ago. Suddenly, they couldn't get close enough, couldn't get undressed fast enough, stealing kisses in between shirt buttons and zippers, whispering words of encouragement and love between kisses and more caresses.

Suddenly, Rayne managed enough leverage to flip herself on top of Tom, looking down at her man as she straddled his waist. The sight of him took her breath for a moment, lying there beneath her in all his glory. Just seeing him like this not only turned her on but made her appreciate how truly beautiful Tom was to her at that moment.

Tom sat up to wrap his arms around Rayne and sealed his lips to hers in a heated kiss before letting his lips slide down her neck, teeth nipping at her pulse points as his hands kneaded her behind to pull her into him.

Rayne could feel Tom's cock pulsing from its spot between her legs and it made her grind down on him hard, causing him to bite her even harder. She let out an excited squeal which made Tom chuckle wickedly in her ear. He swatted her hard on the arse before reclaiming the dominant position by flipping them so he was on top once again. Rayne gave a mock pout, and Tom laughed before kissing her. He trapped both of her hands in his and raised them above Rayne's head on the pillow, holding them as he fully seated himself inside her in one smooth stroke. Rayne closed her eyes and arched her back as a low moan left her kiss-swollen lips. When Tom snapped his hips, Rayne's eyes flew open and Tom chuckled.

"Eyes on mine, luv. I want to see you go over."

Rayne nodded slowly, and not another word was spoken between the two as they continued to gaze into each other's eyes. Their facial expressions told them all they needed to know about each other as intensely passionate physical cravings drove them both. It wasn't long before both were tumbling over that sweet edge together in almost flawless synchrony, clutching tight to one another and breathlessly murmuring each other's names.

Later, as Rayne slept cuddled into Tom's side, he stared at the ceiling, thinking all of the things that he always thought before they had to part company, and wondering just how much longer they had to live their lives separately.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a neighboring bungalow, Benedict was quietly stepping out onto the terrace to find Anna leisurely floating in the swimming pool as she stared up at the night sky. He stood at the edge watching her, then decided to strip off and slip into the water to join her.

He ducked under the water to glide his way over to Anna and popped up again by her side.

"See anything interesting?" He smiled and kissed her shoulder.

"Look, just there..." Anna pointed above her head. "That's Orion's Belt. Isn't it beautiful, Ben?"

"Yes, it's quite impressive. But, this island seems to be full of natural wonders, doesn't it?" He pulled himself over to the edge of the pool, stole one of Anna's floating pillows and made himself comfortable. "Hey, buster!" Anna complained. "That's mine, go get yer own," she chuckled. "I rather think I just did." He gave a deep throaty chuckle and grinned.

Before Anna could utter another word, Benedict reached out for her, and pulled her into him, cradling her head against his shoulder as they both look skyward. "Oh... well, umm - this is definitely more comfortable than that silly old pillow. Thanks, baby."

"You're very welcome, love." Benedict kissed the shell of Anna's ear and sighed dramatically.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"About what, Anna?"

"That sigh. I could feel your chest heaving when you did it." Anna turned to face Benedict. "Please, honey. Just talk to me."

"Can we go inside first? I'd not like to mar our memory of stargazing with my blathering. If that's okay with you."

"C'mon then..." Anna climbed out of the pool and immediately reached for her towel. He watched her rifling through a pile of fluffy fabric until she'd found what she was looking for. He smiled to himself as he left the pool in a more casual manner - opting to use the steps instead of hauling himself out of the water by the edge. By the time Anna was wrapping her hair, Benedict was by her side. He took her dressing gown, lovingly swaddled her in it and gently squeezed her dry as his hands wandered over her curves. When he was done, Benedict thoughtfully tied the sash, ran his hands up and down Anna's shoulders and smiled at her. He pulled her closer to kiss her and dry himself by pressing his body into hers.

Anna laughed out loud, but took the hint and patted her husband dry by circling her arms around him. "Clever, clever girl," Benedict chortled. "At your service, sir." Anna looked up at him and winked.

The two threaded their fingers together and padded through the bungalow to Benedict's bedroom. After they pushed the door to, Anna shucked off her robe and led Benedict over to the bed. They untied the curtains of the four post bed and dove onto the mattress. Anna looked up and chuckled.

"I fucking love this bed, babe. Can we get one?"

"Will it help? Will anything help?!" Benedict flopped onto his back and covered his face with his hands. Anna rolled over to snuggle against his side and kissed his shoulder. "Is that what's bothering you? That we haven't been successful yet?"

"I'm over the moon for Tom and Rayne, but when I found that pregnancy test, I wanted it to be yours. Not to sound like a... what's that phrase you use?"

"Knuckle-dragging Neanderfuck?" Anna giggled and shrugged.

Benedict screwed his eyes shut and laughed out loud. "Yes, Anna darling - that'd be the one." His levity subsided as he continued: "I find myself feeling very impatient, wanting to start our little family. It's selfish, I know, but..."

"It's not selfish at all, Ben. But, let's not forget the side benefit of all the goddamn shagging we get to do in the meantime." Anna leaned over to lick one of Benedict's nipples with a flattened tongue, which made him growl " _Wo-man_.."

Then, Benedict maneuvered their bodies until Anna was staring up at him as he pressed his torso into hers. He threaded his fingers through the hair on top of her head, laced them together and, swept the pads of his thumbs over her forehead. "Sometimes, I'm not quite sure that I deserve you, but God... I do love having the chance to try." Benedict nuzzled the shell Anna's ear, and she felt a tear rolling down the bridge of his nose as it splashed her earlobe. She wrapped her legs around him, clamped her arms under his and breathed a weary sigh.

"You don't have to deserve me, babe - because I already love you."

He continued to nuzzle and kiss Anna but had begun slowly rocking his hips. Both were getting turned on by the friction and the closeness of each other as they found their rhythm. Soon, Benedict raised his hips to line up with Anna's core and sunk into her down to the hilt.

Anna let her hands drift down Benedict's back until she was grabbing his bottom with both hands. She sunk her fingers into his flesh hungrily, with a lusty groan "Mmmm... that's nice."

Anna and Benedict stayed this way, rolling their hips together, kissing and fondling each other until they found their climax. Then they listed to their sides and chuckled breathlessly as they stared across the pillows into each other's eyes.

"Love you, Crumplepants," Anna smiled, as she lightly traced Benedict's lips.

"Love you more, my darling Andromeda."

Next, Anna turned herself around, put her feet on the headboard and pulled her knees to her chest.

"That felt pretty intense, babe. I could feel you pulsing inside me when you came," Anna purred. "How long has it been since the last time we..." Benedict narrowed his eyes and focused and squinted at the clock on his bedside table, then stared up at the canopy of the bed. "Six days, seven hours and, erm... twenty-three minutes. Give or take for GMT."

Anna laughed so hard that she snorted, which of course encouraged Benedict to chuckle in his trademark baritone. "You big dork!" Anna giggled. Benedict crawled over to her and curled himself around her. "I know you are, but what am I!"

"Infinity!!" They laughed in unison. Anna reached over to tap her husband on the end of his nose. "BOOP! You owe me a Coke."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom handed Rayne her bag as she sniffled quietly from beside him. He pulled her to him for one more hug as Ben did the same with Anna.

"Why the tears, Ray?"

She shrugged as they pulled reluctantly apart. She wiped her eyes and donned her sunglasses before glancing up at the tall man at her side. "Must be hormones. Can't be because I'll miss you or anything." Tom just gave her a small smile as she turned to hug Diana goodbye, then Ben. They had already taken Woof to the cargo area for the flight to L.A. and were ready to go through security, then board. She pulled on Tom until he took her into his arms again, this time giving her a slow kiss goodbye before letting go for a final time.

Tom cleared his throat around his own emotions before smiling down at her. "Call me when you get there, and we'll figure out when you can come home, alright?"

Rayne rolled her eyes at his use of the word home, meaning London. Truth be told, she was starting to think the same, since anywhere he was, was home for her. With a small nod, she looked to Anna and they started toward the security checkpoint, not looking back to see the other three travelers heading in a different direction.

It took very little time to make it on board the flight, and they quickly found their seats and settled in for the ride. Rayne pulled a sketchbook out of her carry-on and a pen and started drawing as Anna checked her messages before stowing her phone. She watched Rayne for a while before looking over her shoulder at her artwork.

"Wow, that is amazing! Is that what you're always doing?"

Rayne grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I doodle."

Anna shook her head. "That is not doodling, that is art. I didn't know you were interested in clothing design."

"Yeah, it's my first love. That's what I had wanted to do when I grew up, but then I got into wardrobe design, and well, here we are."

Anna took the sketchbook from Rayne and flipped through it, occasionally muttering to herself. She finally handed it back with a stunned look on her face. "Those are amazing! Have you given any thought to starting a clothing line? You'd put Saville Row to shame with those."

Rayne snickered and shook her head. "I don't know. I've thought about it, sure, but that takes a lot of work, a lot of networking, putting yourself out there... " She looked down for a moment before giving Anna a bashful look. "I thought maybe... what if I made our evening gowns for the  _Infinity Wars_  premieres?" she giggled like a teenager, making Anna chuckle. "I could do yours to match Dr. Strange's colors and mine to match Loki's."

Anna laughed wildly, earning them both stares from the other passengers around them. "That would be great! With your hair and coloring, you'd look amazing in something emerald green."

Rayne held out a hand and Anna shook it, both giggling quietly. "It's a deal."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours later, they dragged themselves tiredly through LAX, Rayne pulling Woof's crate along beside her on a trolley, not noticing the growing crowd ahead of them until they heard their names being yelled.

"Anna! Rayne! Over here! Where's Tom and Ben?"

Rayne looked at Anna with a shocked expression on her face. There must be a hundred paps and photographers ahead of them, and it was too late to try to get around them.

"Rayne, did you enjoy your vacation? Are you and Tom dating or was it just a one-off? Smile, sweetie!"

Flashbulbs went off in their faces as they tried to push through the crowd. Anna got pushed farther away from Rayne as she was surrounded by cameras and men shouting questions at her about herself and Tom. She started to get a little scared with so many people around, but she tried to just keep pushing through, keeping a tight grip on Woof's crate and her suitcase.

Suddenly, she was pushed from the side into Woof's crate, hitting hard before losing her footing and falling to her knees. She could hear Anna yelling her name but couldn't see her. She saw her phone laying off to one side and tried to reach for it, but just then, one of the photographers stepped on it, cracking it beyond use. She finally grabbed it as she felt something hit the side of her face. Looking over, she realized it was someone's knee making contact with her eye. She managed to get to her feet, clutching her suitcase like a lifeline as she watched Anna fight through the crowd to get to her.

It felt like forever before security arrived and the two women were pulled through the crowd to their waiting car, although it wasn't more than a couple of minutes. Once safely inside the minivan and on their way out of the parking lot, Anna turned to take stock of Rayne's condition. She turned Rayne's face to her and looked at her with worried eyes as she gingerly touched the area around her eye.

Rayne hissed and moved her head back out of reach, motioning behind them. "Is that fucking normal?! Jesus Christ! I feared for my life for a second back there."

Anna shook her head, starting to look furious. "No, that isn't normal. I suppose that Tom's been single for so long, that they smell blood in the water." She shook her head again. "Tom is going to be so pissed."

Rayne took a deep cleansing breath before shooting her friend a grin. "Look, it's over and we're none the worse for wear, although I'm probably going to have sore knees and an impressive shiner. I don't think there's a reason to worry Tom with all of this."

Anna gave her such a look of disbelief that Rayne snorted in amusement. "You're kidding, right?"


	30. The Frost Giant Awakens

 

Rayne and Anna walked into the shop to see Melanie standing by reception. She gave Rayne a surprised look before smiling and coming to her for a hug.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect to see you this soon! Agnes said you and Tom were on an extended vacation."

Rayne gave her a small grin. "Well, we decided to cut it short. I need to discuss some things with Agnes. Is she in?"

Melanie nodded, pointing down the hall. "Yep, in her office, and she happens to be free right now."

Rayne nodded. "Thanks." She and Anna turned to head in that direction before she stopped and turned back, rummaging around in her bag until she found her ruined phone. "Mel, do you think you could send this out to be replaced? It kind of got destroyed."

Melanie winced as she gingerly took the device. "I can see that. This kinda explains why Tom has called here several times looking for you. I should have a new one for you shortly." She nodded, smiling at the two women. "Don't worry... I'll take care of it for you, personally." She gave a rueful chuckle.

Rayne gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, you are amazing!"

She turned to go in the direction of the offices, Anna a welcome presence at her side as she knocked on Agnes's door and waited for her to ask them in. When Rayne opened the door, she couldn't miss the look of surprise on Agnes's face before she covered it with a small grin.

"Well, look who the cat dragged in! Come in ladies." As the two women sat in the chairs opposite the antique desk, Agnes got a good look at Rayne's face. "What the hell happened to your face?! I hope the other person looks worse, and it better not be Tom, or  _I swear to God_... "

Rayne cut her off before she could finish that thought. "No, it's nothing like that all! I had a run-in with an over-exuberant paparazzi." She waved a hand in a dismissive manner. "More like an entire pack of feral, camera-wielding assholes..." Anna mumbled, barely under her breath. Rayne turned to Anna and shook her head, then cleared her throat. "Anyway - It's a long story, and really not the reason I'm here." She looked at Anna, who gave her a reassuring smile and nod. "I... I need to know. Did you know that I was your child?"

Agnes sighed as she shook her head. "I told you, I didn't. I found out two days before you did... I was trying to figure out a way to tell you, but Gavin beat me to it." She sighed again as she leaned her elbows on the desk. "What a mess this has become, and probably the most cosmic coincidence that I've ever heard of."

Against her will, Rayne cracked a smile and shook her head. "You can say that again." She blew out a breath before continuing. "I just can't believe this, I mean... " she stopped for a moment. "How? I mean, why... ?" She audibly swallowed, blinking back tears as Anna grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Was Charlie my father?"

Agnes shook her head, looking down at her hands on the desk before turning her gaze back to Rayne. "It's a long story. Are you up to hearing it? I mean, I can give you the short answer, but if you really want to know... "

Rayne nodded quickly, giving a wan smile. "I'm up to hearing if you're up to telling."

Agnes sighed as Anna stood up. "I think we could all use some coffee. I'll be right back. Sugar, two creams all around?"

Rayne and Agnes both nodded and she slipped quietly from the room. Both women sat in silence, each in their own thoughts until Anna came back with the drinks and they all settled in again.

"Charlie and I had been married a year or so at the time, and we were having some problems. Nothing major, but we weren't really on speaking terms at the time. Anyway, I had received a letter... " She stopped and grinned at that. "Back in those days, we didn't have internet and emails, voicemails, all of that." She looked at Rayne and tilted her head. "Do you remember me telling you about the man I had a relationship with?"

Rayne nodded. "Yeah, when I was trying to decide if I wanted to get back together with Tom, you had mentioned a man."

Agnes nodded. "Yup, that's him. Anyway, he sent me a letter, telling me that he missed me and wondering if I'd come see him while he was filming a movie. I thought about it for a few days and then decided I might as well. If nothing else, it would take my mind off of my troubles with Charlie." She shrugged, blowing out a breath. "I drove out to the movie set, one thing led to another, and we slept together." Agnes smiled at the memory for a moment.

"It was a wonderful weekend, but reality intruded in the form of Charlie being involved in a car accident. I was on the next plane home, and once I found out that Charlie was relatively fine, I left again. I mean, nothing was resolved between us, but I at least had to make sure he was ok." Agnes took a long pull from her mug and Rayne noticed that her hands were shaking. She inhaled, then sat back in her chair before she continued. "I found out a month later I was pregnant. You can imagine my shock. For a while, I really didn't know what to do."

Rayne nodded. "So what made you decide that you didn't want me?"

Agnes's eyes snapped to hers and Rayne thought she suddenly looked older than her years, which instantly made her regret what she'd asked. Agnes shook her head, sniffing back tears. "Don't ever think that I didn't want you. I just didn't know..." Agnes shrugged. "I knew I couldn't pretend that you were Charlie's, since we hadn't been intimate in months, and I knew that your actual father was not ready to be a dad. He wasn't even ready to be a boyfriend or husband, for that matter." She blew out a shaky breath. "The only real choice I felt ready to make was to give birth to you and give you to a family who could love and take care of you the way you deserved. So, I went to Alabama and stayed with an aunt until I had you. After the adoption was finalized, I came back to L.A. and reconciled with Charlie."

The three women sat quietly for a while before Rayne spoke again. "So Sam's my father."

Agnes nodded, looking relieved. "Yes, Sam Elliott is your father." She gave Rayne a long look before speaking again. "So, where do we stand, you and I?"

"I honestly don't know, Agnes." Rayne shook her head as she raked a hand through her hair. "You've certainly cleared everything up, I can say that. But I'm still gonna need some time to process all of this."

Agnes nodded. "Of course you do, Ray. I understand that. Have you been home yet?"

Rayne nodded. "Yeah, I took Woof there and picked up my car before coming here." She looked at her watch and sighed. "As a matter of fact - I should be getting home to feed him and unpack."

After telling Agnes that they would see her the next day, Rayne and Anna set off down the hall and were met by Melanie just as they reached reception. Melanie smiled and handed Rayne her brand new phone.

"The Apple Geniuses work really fast. They were able to transfer all of your information from the cloud onto the new handset, so that's one less thing for you to take care of." She scratched her head. "By the way, Tom has called five times since I left the Apple store."

"That's just lovely," Rayne rolled her eyes and huffed, which made Anna chuckle at her friend. "Look, if he calls between now and when I hit my driveway, tell Tom that I'll call him as soon as I get home." She held up her new phone and smiled at Melanie. "Thanks for this, Mel. You're a lifesaver."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne barely got the door to her apartment open before her phone was ringing again. She swiped the screen and answered quickly. "Hey, babe. What's up?"

"Bloody hell, Rayne! How many messages do I have to leave before you answer?"

Rayne cringed and pulled the phone away from her ear as Tom yelled at her over the phone. Anna motioned toward the kitchen and disappeared while Rayne talked to him. "I'm sorry, geez! I dropped my phone so Melanie was getting it switched out for a new one while Anna and I talked to Agnes."

Tom answered and Rayne could feel the anger coming through the phone. "Well, darling, I want to hear everything about your conversation with Agnes, but first, how was your flight?"

Rayne scrunched up her nose as she kicked off her shoes. "It was fine. Just a regular flight."

Tom was silent for a moment before answering. " _Really_? Would you like to try again, darling? The truth this time? How did you drop your phone, Rayne?"

Rayne squeezed her eyes shut, and sighed. "Fuck! You know, don't you? Look, baby, it wasn't as bad as it... "

"Don't! Just don't! I'm boarding right now. Under no circumstances are you to leave the house until I get there. Am I making myself clear? We'll talk about this then." She heard him take a deep breath before he spoke again, this time in a much calmer voice. "I love you, Ray. See you soon, darling."

He ended the call before Rayne could say anything. Seconds later Anna walked into the living room just as Rayne flopped backward onto the couch. She looked at the other woman and shook her head. "Tom already knows, Anna. I don't know how - but he definitely does, and he's not happy.  _At all_."

Anna winced as she sat beside Rayne, letting her lay her head on her shoulder. "Well, girlfriend, I hate to say I told you so, but... "

Rayne snorted out a short laugh. "Yeah, well, he's on his way to the states and I'm grounded until he gets here."

Anna shook her head and chuckled as Rayne tried not to pout. "Rayne, honey...you didn't tell Agnes about the baby." She smoothed a hand in soothing circles on Rayne's shoulder.

Rayne sighed. "No. I wasn't ready to just yet. I have to think about all of that after I deal with Hiddlesaurus Rex."

Anna giggled as she nudged Rayne on the arm. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure his Loki is going to be in its full glory by the time he hits town." Anna pursed her lips and exhaled. " _Gurrrl..._  I'm sure glad I'm not you."

Rayne blew out a frustrated breath as she mentally agreed with Anna. She didn't want to be her right then either.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Tom made his way through LAX, he was still seething. The more he thought about what had happened, the angrier he got. When Luke showed him the video on TMZ's website, he didn't know what emotion to feel first. His first overwhelming emotion had been helplessness as he watched Rayne being shoved to the ground. He was certain that he'd never been this angry, but he had to make sure that he didn't take that anger out on Rayne. She was the innocent party in all of this after all, although the fact that she tried to keep it from him was frustrating him just a bit.

As he wheeled his suitcase through the terminal, a lone paparazzi approached him, and it took everything he had not to punch the poor sod in the face.

"Tom! Sorry to see what happened to your girl. Are you here to check on her?"

Tom sneered as the man continued to take pics as Tom brushed past him. "I'm here on personal business, mate. Nothing to see here that concerns you or your sort."

He watched the man hold his hands out in front of him in a placating gesture. "Hey, I wasn't even here when it happened. I wish there was something I could do... "

Tom cut him off with a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure you've all done enough, but thanks."

The man shook his head and backed off, allowing Tom to reach his car and driver without further incident. Once inside the car and on his way home, he tried to practice deep breathing, attempting to calm down somewhat before reaching Rayne. He didn't want this to turn into an argument between them, but he knew for certain that there were quite a few things that needed to change, going forward.

Tom was deep in thought pondering their current situation. He felt they couldn't just continue on as they had been, and he was struggling to find a way to bring Rayne around to his way of thinking. Thankfully, he had some downtime and could afford to stay in L.A. for a while. Once at the house, he made his way up the driveway, heading straight for the stairs at the side of the house. He saw Agnes coming down the stairs and nodded to her as they passed. "Agnes."

Agnes lifted a brow at the short greeting. "What, no 'hello, darling'? No kiss for your old pal Agnes?"

Tom just shook his head. "I'm assuming Rayne is upstairs?"

Agnes snickered, nodding her head, before giving a snappy salute. "Yup, the prisoner is present and accounted for, sir."

Tom gave her a look that would melt steel. "I am really not in the mood for our usual witty repartee today, Agnes. I'm sorry."

Agnes sighed. "I know, I was just trying to lighten the mood a little." She patted Tom on the arm as she started back down the stairs. "Take it easy on her, Tom. She's new to this whole celebrity thing, you know."

Tom shook his head and sighed, using the hand not holding his suitcase to rub his neck. "I know that, Agnes. I'm not angry with her... well, not just her." He gave her a weak smile. "It will all be fine, I promise."

Agnes just nodded and continued down the stairs as Tom went up. He used his key to let himself in, dropping his bag in the entry and following the sound of voices into the kitchen. He felt himself relax a bit when he saw Anna and Rayne standing at the stove, Anna watching as Rayne stirred something in a pot. Anna saw him first and grinned as she elbowed Rayne. He watched as Rayne turned around and saw him, setting her spoon down to rush over to him for a hug, When she got closer to him, he saw the large bruise around her eye and sucked in a breath, pulling her to him for a tighter hug.

Once they broke apart, he tenderly ran a finger around her eye, feeling the instant urge to throttle someone for having the nerve to touch her. He held her head in both hands, gently tilting it up to make her look him in the eyes.

"Oh my god, Ray. Are you alright, darling?" He looked down at her stomach then back up to her eyes, tears swimming in his. "The baby's alright?"

Rayne gave him a small smile before reaching up to give him a quick peck on the lips. "Yes, we're both fine, babe.  _Honest_." She ran a hand over his chest. "You really didn't need to come all the way here. I would have told you that if you didn't hang up on me."

Tom shook his head and softly hummed before pressing his forehead against hers for a moment before speaking. "No, Rayne darling.  _This_  is exactly where I need to be."

He lifted his head to look down at her with an extremely serious expression. "We need to have a bit of a chat, you and I."


	31. Hiddlesaurus Wrecks

 

Tom watched as Rayne looked at him warily before stepping back out of the circle of his arms. He sighed quietly, knowing already that this was going to be difficult, to say the least. There were few women that were more stubborn than Rayne, and trying to get her to do anything she didn't want to do was next to impossible, even if it was the right thing at the time.

Rayne folded her arms across her chest and stared Tom down, the look in her eyes going from wary to defiant. "Just what do you think we need to talk about, Tom?"

Tom copied her stance, using the fact that he was bigger than her as he stood with his feet spread out and arms crossed. "I think you know. It's time for that discussion about living arrangements, darling."

Rayne rolled her eyes, which set Tom's teeth on edge. "Seriously? One pap accidentally gets too close and now you want me to move to London."

Tom cuts a look at Anna who closed her eyes and shrugged before quietly leaving the kitchen for another part of the apartment. He looked back to Rayne, shaking his head.

"Accidentally or not, Rayne, he got too close. They should never be close enough to touch you. When I saw that video... you just don't know what went through my mind."

Rayne sighed and slumped with her back against the refrigerator. "Tom... that could have happened whether I was here or in London. Either way, you wouldn't have been there."

Tom shook his head. "Perhaps, darling, but I wouldn't have been a plane ride away. A few minutes, maybe an hour, at the most. That's the part that scared the hell out of me. Not being able to get to you, and finding out after the fact. I should have known immediately, Ray. It should have been you calling me and not Luke."

"Would it have made that much of a difference, Tom?"

Tom pointed to his chest. "For my peace of mind, yes! Yes, it made a difference! Then, when you weren't returning my calls or messages... well, you don't want to know what was going through my mind." He held a hand out toward her. "What if it had been the other way around? What if it had been me in the fray?"

Rayne shrugged, looking at the floor. "I would have been scared, but I also would have known that you were a grown-up who could handle himself."

Tom let his hand drop and shook his head. "I know you're a grown-up Ray. It's not you I was angry at, and it still isn't, but..." He took a step, bringing himself right in front of Rayne as he reached out and gently placed a hand on her cheek. "Am I really asking for more than any other man? To have the woman I love and my child safe and sound where I can care for them? That's all I'm asking for Ray, nothing more." He shrugged as he gave her a small grin. "Besides, I've never hidden the fact that I want you to live with me in London. Unfortunately, this incident just serves to illustrate a prime example of one of the reasons why I'd like to have you closer."

Rayne stepped back, breaking the physical connection between them as she turned to open the fridge for a bottle of juice. "It was probably my fault anyway. I mean, I'm just not used to that kind of attention, Tom. I'm sorry but, I panicked." Rayne cast her eyes down to the floor.

Tom shook his head as once again, he drew her close. "No! This was in no way your fault, Ray. Never think that it was. This was a case of vultures trying to get ahead of each other to get the story first. Of course, you panicked. I would have expected no different response. It can be very unsettling, especially if you aren't expecting it."

He gently lifted Rayne's chin with his forefinger, until she looked up at him. "Don't think for a moment that I'm going to let this go either. Luke is working on finding out who the photographer was that pushed you, and when I find out... "

Rayne groaned. "Please Tom, don't make it worse. It's bad enough that I'm already on the cover of every tabloid in the English speaking world."

Tom chuckled. "Well, you should get used to that part, darling. Mostly because you're gorgeous and people are going to be fascinated with you. Besides, I have an interview with Kimmel tomorrow. I'll make sure it all gets sorted." He winked and grinned as he traced her bottom lip with his thumb. "Do you have a kiss for this poor, horrible sod that loves you so much he just doesn't want to be away from you any more than necessary?" He rubbed his nose against hers, causing her to give him a reluctant grin as he kissed the very corner of her mouth. "Hmm? Do you, luv? Just a little peck?" He looked down at her and Rayne was almost brought to tears at the emotion swirling in his blue eyes. "Kiss me, Rayne. I really need you to."

Rayne slowly lifted a hand to the back of his neck, pulling Tom's head down to hers. He breathed a contented sigh and hummed into the kiss as their lips touched. Rayne closed her eyes and gave herself over to Tom as he took the kiss deeper. Tom silently wished that Rayne would let him take the lead in other areas as well.

By the time they heard a throat clear, Tom had Rayne lifted up to his waist with her back pressing against the fridge with her legs wrapped around him, snogging like randy teenagers. Tom lifted his head and gave a small laugh as he looked behind himself to see Anna leaning a hip against the kitchen island and smirking.

"I guess you two have made nice, huh? Good... That means you won't be needing an Anna-vention."

Tom laughed harder and Rayne squirmed her way out of his arms, putting both feet on the floor to slide around him and head for the hallway. "I'm gonna go change."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne returned to the kitchen, sneakers in hand just time to hear Tom say something about visas as she jumped onto a stool to put her shoes on.

Tom lifted a brow and gestured to her leggings and tank top. "Where are you going?"

Rayne shrugged as she laced up a shoe. "Thought I'd go for a run before it gets dark."

Tom nodded and stood up. "Give me a minute to change and I'll join you."

Rayne shook her head as she spoke: "No, Tom... I'm going alone."

She watched Tom shake his head in irritation and sighed. "Rayne, did we not just have a discussion about you going anywhere alone?"

Rayne grinned. "No, actually we didn't. Look, I just need a little quiet time to think about all this. I have a shitload of things to figure out, and I can't do that with you shadowing my every move. I'm running alone, and that's that."

Tom rubbed the back of his neck and sighed again. "Alright, fine. Just... please be careful and don't be gone long, darling."

She stood on tiptoe to give him a smacking kiss on the cheek. "I promise."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time Rayne returned home, it was dark and she hadn't really figured out anything. As she jogged into the driveway, she saw Anna and Agnes sitting on the porch, casually sipping drinks. When she plopped down in one of the chaise lounges beside Anna, Agnes passed Rayne an iced cold glass of what she now saw was lemonade. She took a healthy swallow, then looked around tentatively.

"So, where's Hiddles?"

Anna hooked a thumb toward the street. "He took your car. Said something about ice cream."

Rayne just nodded as Agnes stood up. "Girls, I'm gonna put these old bones to bed. See ya in the morning."

Both younger women said goodnight and were soon enjoying a slight breeze on this quiet evening. Finally, Anna spoke, breaking the silence. "Soooo... "

Rayne looked over at her and grinned, shaking her head. "Yeah, I don't know. Still trying to piece it all together."

Anna snickered. "Well, sweetie - you know where Tom stands."

Rayne joined her laughter. "Oh yeah. Everyone and their brother knows that."

Anna studied her in the dim glow of the porch light. "I know you love Tom and you obviously want to be with him, so what's holding you back?"

Rayne blew out a breath, looking up at the sky as if the answer was there. "Of course, I love him, and yes I want to be with him. It's just... was it an easy decision for you? Giving up your life here in the states and moving to London with Ben?"

Anna grinned and reached over to squeeze Rayne's hand briefly. "I don't feel like I gave up anything. I still do my thing, I just do it from there instead of here, not to mention that I have a scrumptiously hot British dude that supports me, just like I support him."

Rayne nodded as she continued to stare up at the moon. "I'm still wrapping my mind around being a mom, you know? And Agnes, not to mention Sam." She turned to look at Anna. "If I do move there, what do I do about work? I can't help run the company from another continent." She sighed, looking back up at the sky. "I would like to get to know Sam as my father. How do I do that from there?"

Anna pursed her lips, whistling softly as she thought for a few minutes before answering. "I've been thinking about the work thing." She glanced at Rayne. "Have you ever thought of starting your own fashion line? I think you'd be very successful with it. You could do that in London, which would really be the perfect place. As for Sam, he can certainly afford a plane ticket now and then, and it's not like you'll be locked in the house. You can come here to visit, too." She shook her head. "I think you're looking at this all wrong."

Rayne closed her eyes, cocked her head slightly and sighed as she continued to listen. "Know what, Rayne honey...?" Rayne chuckled and shook her head. "It doesn't matter where you and Tom live. That's just geography. What really matters is that you do things as a unit, a family. He loves you more than life itself, but the plain truth of it is that he can't move here," Anna shrugged, but Rayne nodded as she replied: "Yeah, I know..."

"Logically you already know that's just not going to work for his career, right?" Anna reached out to gave Rayne's hand another gentle pat. "You're going to have to bend if you want a life with him, sweetie. I promise you won't break, you'll see."

Rayne nodded, sighing. "I know, I'm just not used to having to involve someone else in my decision making."

Anna chuckled. "Welcome to the world of twenty-first-century adult relationships, babe. The long and short of this is that you can have almost everything you want, or ever dreamed - if you're willing to compromise." Anna smiled at Rayne. "Just a little bit..." Anna narrowed her eyes and pinched her thumb and forefinger together, which made Rayne giggle.

Both women watched as Rayne's Land Rover pulled into the driveway, then Tom getting out and striding their way with a bag in hand. Anna stood up and winked at Rayne. "I'm gonna to turn in. I think should call my man and remind him that I love him."

They all said goodnight as Anna headed up the stairs and Tom took her seat beside Rayne, setting the mysterious bag down on the coffee table. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Rayne sighed and reached over to take Tom's hand.

"Are we ok?"

Tom let his fingers tangle with hers before giving her a gentle squeeze. "Of course, darling. We're always going to be ok." He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it before grinning. "We'll figure it out, luv. We have to." Rayne felt a sense of contentment come over her as she stood up and held out a hand to Tom. Once he was standing beside her, he picked up the bag and pointed at it. "Ice cream before bed, love?"

Rayne smiled and winked as she pulled him toward the stairs leading to her apartment. "Let's grab two spoons and the chocolate sauce, and have dessert in bed."

She giggled at the guttural growl that issued from Tom as he passed her on the stairs, now pulling her behind him in almost a jog. Once inside, they wasted little time in stopping in the kitchen for the aforementioned spoons and sauce before giggling their way to Rayne's bedroom. Tom sat everything on the bedside table and started to pull Rayne to him, but she balked, pointing toward the ensuite.

"Maybe I should take a quick shower. I'm sweaty from my run."

Tom grinned as he leaned in for a kiss. "Make it a quick one, darling. Seriously, five minutes and I'm coming in after you."

With thirty seconds to spare, Rayne came walking out of the bathroom in a towel, a billow of steam following after her. She tried not to gasp at the sight of Tom, in bed with the blankets down around his waist and his arms behind his head. She knew the smile on her face matched his as she climbed into bed and grabbed the carton of ice cream and the spoons from the table, handing them to Tom as she picked up the squirt bottle of chocolate sauce. She leaned in for a kiss before climbing into Tom's lap to straddle him.

With a wink, she took one of the spoons and dipped out some ice cream, holding it out for him to take as she squirted some sauce onto it. "I'll feed you if you'll feed me." Tom nodded as she held the spoon up to his mouth and leaned in to be fed. She kissed him again, letting her tongue swirl around his lips for a moment. "Mmmm... delicious."

With a wicked gleam in his eyes, Tom got some ice cream on his spoon but instead of feeding it to Rayne, he lets it drip down her chin and into the hollow between her breasts. "Oh, so sorry, darling. Let me clean that up."

Rayne giggled in delight as Tom licked all of the ice cream off, removing her towel in the process. She pushed him to lay back before letting the chocolate sauce drizzle down his chest and abs. "Well, if we're going to need a shower after anyway... " She took a spoonful of the melting ice cream and let it drip over the chocolate, hearing Tom hiss from the cold. She grinned as she proceeded to lick a trail through the sticky mess, Tom moaning as she slithered down his body, taking the sheet with her.

"Ohhh, naughty-naughty Rayne... that feels amazing..." She licked his vee line before giving his cock some attention, taking him into her mouth as far as she could before releasing him with a pop, then doing it again as Tom's hands clutched at the sheets while he bucked up under her. "Bloody hell, luv!"

With a chuckle, Rayne lifted herself back up over him as Tom kissed her with unbridled hunger as if they hadn't made love in weeks. He rolled with her until she was under him and he was staring down at her with a feral look in his eye. "I believe it's my turn, Ray."

Rayne bit her bottom lip as Tom repeated her earlier action, taking special care to cover her breasts in the gooey chocolate and ice cream. He spent time on her breasts, licking each one, suckling and nipping her sensitive skin, making Rayne cry out several times.

In just the last week or so, her breasts had become much more sensitive. So much so that each move Tom made sent a shock straight to her core. He was currently giving her navel attention, his destination quite clear when she decided she couldn't take any more teasing. She tugs on his hair, making him stop and look up at her with darkened eyes.

"Please, Tom!"

He gave a slight nod before moving over top of her, kissing her as he slowly entered her, making her cry out against his lips. She could feel him smirk against the side of her neck as he slowly rocked against her, the leftover chocolate and ice cream making a sticky mess between them and dripping down to the sheets under Rayne.

It took mere minutes and they were both crying out their release, clutching each other close as they came back down from the sensual high. As Tom laid on top of Rayne with his head on her chest, she chuckled. "We're really are a hot mess, aren't we?"

Tom joined her laughter as he lifted his head to look down at her, a smear of chocolate sauce on his cheek and forehead. "Nothing a nice hot shower can't fix, Rayne darling..."

He threw off the top sheet, swung his legs out of bed, and reached for Rayne as he swooped her from the mattress and into his arms. They giggled their way to the en-suite for a leisurely shower and perhaps more dessert. 


	32. Is This Real Life?

 

The next morning, Rayne laid staring up at the ceiling, so lost in thought that she didn't hear Tom move until his head appeared over hers, a smile on his face. He leaned down for a kiss before laying his head on her chest to nuzzle his nose against the side of her breast. Rayne let her fingers sift through his curls, hearing a contented sigh come from somewhere around her torso.

"Good morning, darling."

"Good morning."

"How are you feeling? Any nausea?"

Rayne shook her head, then rolled her eyes at the obvious fact that he couldn't see that. "No, I think the morning sickness is starting to end."

Tom lifts his head and smiled at her. "That's wonderful, Rayne. I'm happy to hear it." She nodded, still looking up at the ceiling. "So, what's wrong then?"

She finally looked at him, a slight frown on her face. "There's nothing wrong, why?"

Tom sighed and sat up beside her. "You've been a bit distant lately darling. Why don't you tell me what's on your mind?"

Rayne smirked as she sat up beside him, pulling the covers up to cover herself. "Do you want the whole list?"

Tom nodded seriously, reaching over to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. "Yes, I do. You never know, I might be able to help." Rayne sighed and Tom grinned. "Give me the first item on your list."

Rayne raised a brow. "As if I have a list."

Tom chuckled, nodding. "Yes, you do. I know you do. It's probably annotated with bullet points and all." He waved a hand in a come hither motion. "Come on, then, hit me with it."

Rayne blew out a breath, looking down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "I don't know if I'll be a good mother."

Tom snorted, causing Rayne to look over at him. "That one's easy. Of course, you will. You're already Woof and Baci's mother, and you're wonderful with them. You handled my nieces and nephews like a pro, changing nappies and feeding them bottles and telling them stories. Next problem?"

Rayne rolled her eyes. "My parents."

Tom thought for a moment before replying. "That one's tougher. It will take time, I'm sure, but I know that one day you'll be on even footing there, and it will be like they were always in your life. You just have to have patience, luv."

Rayne nodded, worrying her lip with her teeth before speaking again, this time in almost a whisper. "Ok, ready for the big one?"

Tom turned to face her, nodding as she mimicked his move, their knees touching as they sat cross-legged on the bed. "You have my undivided attention, darling."

She looks down at her hands, clasping them together tightly until Tom gently took them in his. "London."

Tom blew out a breath before nodding slowly. "London. Well... do you not want to live there?" She started to answer, but he shook his head quickly. "Would you rather I move here? I could apply for green card status. It would take some doing, and Luke wouldn't be thrilled, but... "

Rayne shook her head, cutting him off. "No! No, Tom, I would never ask you to do that."

Tom smiled gently, squeezing her hands. "That's just it, darling. You  _can_  ask me to do that. You have every right to do so. I'm sorry that it took me until now to think of it."

Rayne sighed and shook her head. "No, it makes much more sense for me to move to London with you. It's just... " She blew out a breath as Tom waited patiently for her to continue. "I have an open-ended work visa, so that wouldn't be a problem, and I've been mulling over a business idea that Anna had..."

Tom nodded. "That would be perfect, and the work visa would get you into the country, and allow you to stay while we wait for the marriage visa to come through."

Rayne gave him a small grin. "Is that your way of proposing?"

Tom chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh no, you'll know when I propose, darling."

Rayne just shook her head. "I'll need to find a doctor."

Tom nodded, looking more and more excited. "Of course, Ray. We'll start mum on that task, yeah?"

Rayne nodded, her mind somewhere else. "I'll have to decide what to do with my things. I mean, I suppose I could leave it all here, but Agnes may want to rent this place out... "

Tom interrupted her with a chuckle and another hand squeeze. "Darling, you can ship your things to London. It's going to be your home too, after all, and there's plenty of room." He let go of one of her hands to lift her face to his so he could look into her eyes. "Let's be clear, are you agreeing to move to London with me?"

Rayne nodded shyly and grinned. "It will take some time to get things settled here, but yeah... looks like you have a new roommate."

With a whoop, Tom snatched Rayne up and hugged her close, peppering her face with kisses as she laughed at his antics. When he was done, he took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes, happiness radiating from him in waves.

"You have no idea how happy this makes me, Rayne. That you're ready to take this step with me... darling, I love you beyond simple words." He kissed her deeply, then pressed their foreheads together. "We're going to have such a wonderful life with our growing little family you'll see, my love."

Rayne smiled, content at last with her final decision. "I know we will, Tom. I love you too."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the way back home from the doctor's office, Rayne couldn't help but giggle to herself at how happy Tom looked. By the smile on his face, you'd think he had just won the lottery. When the doctor had told them that they were indeed expecting, he had acted like it was the first time he was hearing about it, looking overjoyed and close to tears.

Rayne shook her head now, looking out the window at the passing traffic as Tom drove them through the city. She heard Tom snicker and looked over at his raised brow.

"Darling, how can you be in a funk right now? We've had a wonderful day so far."

Rayne nodded distractedly. "I know, and I shouldn't be, but... "

Tom laughed louder this time. "Oh come on! So you're jeans don't fit anymore. You'll just get bigger ones." He reached across to pat her thigh. "It's a good thing, luv. That means the baby is growing the way it should."

Rayne rolled her eyes, making him laugh louder. "That's easy for you to say. You're not the one that gained ten pounds!"

Tom nodded, trying to look like the sincere boyfriend. "Yes, that's true. Tomorrow, you'll go shopping for clothes. It'll be alright, I promise."

Rayne sighed, knowing that he was right to make fun, but feeling bummed anyway. "Will you have time to change before Kimmel?"

Tom looked at his watch and nodded. "Yes, just. I'll drop you off, change, then go back into town. What time is dinner?"

"I told Agnes and Sam 8:30."

Tom nodded, grinning at her. "That's good. I should just be done by then."

When they arrived home, Tom made a mad dash, changing into a suit and tie before kissing her goodbye and heading back out. Rayne spent the afternoon with Anna looking for shipping companies and starting a list of things to do for the move.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom walked out to thunderous applause, smiling as he strode across the stage to shake Jimmy's hand and take a seat beside his desk.

"Tom, it's good to see you again! Just finished filming  _Infinity Wars,_  didn't you?"

Tom nodded, smiling. "Yes, a couple months ago. It was great like always. Marvel has been very good to me, and it always feels like coming home."

Jimmy nodded and smiled. "Yes, I would imagine so. It was even better this time though, right? You met your lovely girlfriend Rayne while filming."

Tom chuckled and adjusted his glasses as he looked down at his lap for a moment, letting the audience have time to applaud. "Yes, well... we were already acquainted, we just re-connected there."

Jimmy nodded before addressing the audience. "Rayne Ellison is a wardrobe designer, a very good one, and she truly is lovely." He turned back to Tom with a serious look. "I understand that there was some... ugliness, a few days ago, concerning Rayne and Benedict Cumberbatch's wife, Anna."

Tom nodded, all traces of good humor now gone. "Yes. They were stalked through LAX by a group of paparazzi... one bloke got too close and shoved Rayne down, breaking her phone. She ended up with a black eye and some bruises."

Jimmy let the audience's shocked reaction die down before continuing. "We do have the video of the... exchange, courtesy of TMZ. If you don't mind, we'd like to show it?"

At Tom's nod, Jimmy motioned for them to roll the footage. By the time the tape ended, people in the audience were outraged and Tom and Jimmy both looked furious. Jimmy shook his head and sighed.

"I have to admit, I've watched this a few times, and as a member of the entertainment media, I am still shocked sometimes at the behavior of so-called professionals... " Jimmy looked at the camera with an angry expression. "Know what? These men were not acting like professional reporters. You assholes were being thugs, pure and simple."

Tom nodded in agreement as Jimmy turned back to him. "I can only imagine, being a husband myself, what was going through your mind when you saw that, Tom."

Tom took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before answering. "It was horrifying honestly. The worst part was watching it unfold and knowing there was nothing I could do to protect my girlfriend..." Tom swallowed hard, the unshed tears evident in his blue eyes, "The mother of my..."

The audience gasped as Tom realized what he had just confessed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as somewhere in the audience, a woman shouts, "We love you, Tom!"

Tom chuckled nervously, face turning red. "I hope you do, darling - because I may need a couch to sleep on tonight. Rayne is going to throttle me!"

Jimmy laughed and reached over to clap Tom on the back. "Well, mistaken confession or not, congratulations, Tom! You'll have to bring Rayne with you the next time you come." Tom nodded as Jimmy stood up and clapped, encouraging the audience to do so as well. "Expectant father Tom Hiddleston everyone!"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he arrived back home, Tom walked in to hear laughter coming from the dining room. He blew out a breath, hoping that Rayne wasn't going to be too angry when he confessed to what he accidentally did. He plastered a smile on his face as he was greeted by everyone gathered around the table. He went to Rayne, leaning in for a kiss and a nose rub before taking the seat beside her.

"I'm sorry I'm late, but traffic was rather heavy. Oh, mum called when I was leaving the studio. She believes Baci is close to delivering and she has made an appointment for her tomorrow." He grimaced as he looked at Rayne. "Darling, I really feel like I should be there when it happens."

Rayne nodded. "Oh, definitely."

Tom looked relieved as he nodded. "I'll make a reservation for a flight in the morning. I thought I might take Woof with me if you don't mind. It would be nice for the father to be there, don't you think?"

Rayne laughed along with everyone else as she nodded. "I think that would be lovely."

He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Have you told them yet?"

Rayne giggled, shaking her head. "No, I wanted to wait for you." He squeezed her hand and she nodded before looking at everyone else. Anna gave them a knowing smile but stayed silent as Rayne cleared her throat. "So, Tom and I have some news." She waited until she had everyone's attention before continuing with a grin. "We are expecting."

It took a moment for it to dawn on Sam and Agnes what she was talking about, but when it did, it was chaos for a few minutes as congratulations and hugs were passed around. She nodded at Tom, silently telling him that it was his turn as he cleared his throat.

"Additionally, Rayne has decided to move to London with me."

This time, Sam congratulated them while Agnes sniffed back tears before hugging them both as well. Anna was smiling from ear to ear secretly happy at the prospect of having her good friends so close as everyone settled back down. After dinner, Rayne turned to Tom. "I completely forgot to ask, how did Kimmel go?"

Tom cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable as he pulled on his shirt collar. "Well, it was fine, but... I did a thing. Remember what the doctor said about your blood pressure, darling."

Rayne narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "What did you do, Tom?"

Tom blew out a breath before answering. "I might have inadvertently told everyone that we were expecting a baby."

Rayne just stared at him for a moment before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Ok."

Tom blinked, thinking that was way easier than he thought it would be. "Ok?"

Rayne nodded, eyes still closed. "It's fine, really."

Tom looked at Anna, worried that he wasn't getting yelled at, but it was Sam that came to his rescue. "Tom, any time a woman says it's fine, it's not fine."

Rayne held up a hand. "Let me understand this. By everyone, you mean that you told Jimmy on air that we were going to have a baby?"

Tom nodded. "Yes, but in my defense, it was entirely by accident. I was just so excited, and we were having such a perfect day, that my thoughts got away from me."

Sam chuckled and stood to walk around the table to where Rayne was sitting silently fuming. "Rayne, how about you and me jus' take a little stroll?"

Before anyone could say anything, Sam had guided Rayne out the front door and down the driveway. He let go of her arm so she could walk unaided, smiling over at her.

"Take some deep breaths, darlin. It'll help." He waited until she took a few before continuing. "You needed a timeout back there. I figured this would be better than you killing Tom."

Rayne snickered. "I wasn't going to kill him. Smack him upside the head maybe. Once, maybe twice or so..."

Sam chuckled and nodded as they walked along the quiet street. "Well, can I tell you something without you getting mad at me?"

Rayne shrugged. "Honestly? With the way I'm feeling right now, all bets are off, but you can try."

Sam chuckled as he slung an arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side a bit. "Honesty is never a bad thing, darlin." He took a deep breath and sighed. "Ok, here goes nothing." Rayne looked up at him as he thought of what he wanted to say. "I know that we don't exactly have a father/daughter bond right now, but I want you to know something. If I had known about you, I would have done everything in my power to keep you. Now, that doesn't mean I don't agree with what Agnes did. At the time, it was probably best for everyone involved, especially you, but... I can't help but feel like I missed out on a lot not seeing you grow up."

Rayne nodded. "I can understand that."

Sam grinned down at her. "Good, then you'll understand where what I'm about to say is coming from." He pointed to a bench on the corner and waited until they were seated before continuing. "I'm happy that you decided to move in with Tom. He deserves to be in this child's life. He deserves to be a father."

Rayne shook her head. "Even if I hadn't decided to move with him, I wouldn't have kept him from his child."

Sam looked at her with a serious "dad" look before grinning. "Good. That means you two are already more grown-up than me and your mom was."

Rayne chuckled. "He even offered to move here, give up London, but I didn't want him to have to do that. He loves it there, he's the most comfortable there, and to be honest, other than Agnes and you now, I don't have a reason to hold onto L.A." Rayne elbowed him and grinned. "So you and Agnes. What's going on there?"

Sam chuckled. "I don't think that's any of your damn business, little girl, although I will say that when we visit you in London? We won't need two bedrooms."

The sound of Rayne and Sam's laughter could be heard back at the house, two blocks away.


	33. Home Sweet Home

 

_One Month Later_

Rayne smoothed the tape down on the packing box and sighed before turning to Anna. "Last one."

Tomorrow, the movers would come to collect everything that Rayne was shipping to London. She looked around at the almost barren living room with a wistful expression before grinning up at Anna from where she sat on the floor.

Anna held out a hand and Rayne high-fived her before letting Anna pull her up off the floor. "This is good. We're ready to go."

Rayne nodded, turning to walk into the kitchen. It was strange to think that in two days, she'd be on a plane, taking her first step into her new life. She blew out a breath as she opened the fridge and saw nothing. She grinned at Anna as she walked in the room.

"It looks like take out tonight. The cupboards are bare."

Anna laughed. "Well, that's just going to have to suffice. Once the boys get here, we'll figure out what we want."

Rayne thought for a minute before grinning. "A huge greasy burger sounds really good. I'm sure that as soon as I set foot on British soil, Tom will have me eating bean sprouts and kale."

Anna laughed as she nodded, thinking that Rayne was probably right. "One greasy burger it is then, along with all the fixin's."

Rayne gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. "You're a goddess!" She pointed to the hallway. "I'm going to go see if I missed anything in the bedroom."

Anna nodded as she looked at her phone. She had been texting back and forth with Ben, and Rayne just grinned and headed for her room.

She sat down on the side of the bed and gently placed a hand on her growing stomach, smiling as she thought about how surprised Tom would be when he saw the baby bump she was now sporting. She'd purposely stayed away from Skype, wanting him to see it in person for the first time. The one and only time she had opened the app on her tablet was to see the new puppies, along with Baci and Woof. Tom had been so proud to show them all off that she couldn't help but give in that one time.

None of her clothes fit anymore, so she had resorted to wearing leggings and flannel shirts or baggy t-shirts, especially when she went out in public. She didn't want the world to see her condition before Tom had a chance, so she hid her swollen belly.

She was interrupted in her thoughts by a very familiar voice coming from the doorway.

"This is the best view I've had all month."

Rayne jumped up and met him halfway across the room, immediately pulled into a tight hug. "It's about time you got here."

Tom leaned down to give her a kiss before burying his face in her neck. "How are you darling? Let me get a good look at you." Rayne took a step back, grinning as she did a slow spin in front of Tom. He reached out a hand to touch her stomach, looking at her with tears in his eyes. "You're starting to show!"

As Tom's big hand covered the tiny bump, she giggled. "Yeah, for a couple of weeks now. He's even started to move around now and then."

Tom grinned at her. "He?"

Rayen shrugged. "It sounds better than it."

Tom chuckled, shaking his head. "Why didn't you Skype me so I could see before now?"

Rayne looked down, a bashful smile on her face. "I wanted you to see it in person, not through a screen."

Tom drew her back into his arms, once again burying his face in her neck, his favorite spot. "This is why I'm so thrilled that you're moving in with me. I don't want to miss anything else."

Rayne shrugged, not letting her nerves show in her voice as she stroked his hair. "Well, when you're not gone, anyway."

Tom lifted his head to look at her, moving a few strands of hair out of her face. "That won't be very often at all, at least until the baby comes. I want to experience as much of this pregnancy as I can with you."

Rayne chuckled as she moved out of his arms and started toward the door. "Well, any time that you want to experience the heartburn and swollen ankles, you're welcome to."

They were laughing as they walked out hand in hand to meet up with Ben and Anna in the kitchen. Anna grinned at the duo as Rayne sat down at the counter. "I'm going to go pick up the food." She turned to wink at her husband. "Wanna ride with me?"

Ben chuckled and waggled a randy eyebrow. "You don't even need to ask."

As Anna grabbed the car keys and they headed out, Rayne made a squeaking sound and waved a hand at Tom. "Hurry! He's moving again!"

As Tom came close, she grabbed his hand and laid it on her stomach where she felt the baby move. They sat there in silence for a moment or two until it happened again and Tom turned shocked eyes to Rayne. "I felt it! It was faint, but I felt it!"

Rayne snickered at the look on his face as the baby kicked again, this time a little harder. "He's been moving around a lot today. Maybe he knew his daddy was coming."

Tom squatted down to nuzzle his nose against the tiny bump, grinning like an idiot. "Did you miss daddy?" He looked up at Rayne, a slightly embarrassed look on his face as he chuckled. "I know it's probably silly, but... "

Rayne shook her head, running her fingers through his hair. "No, it's not, really. All the books say it's good for the baby and helps them. Keep talking to him if you like."

With an excited smile, Tom started talking nonsense to the baby through Rayne's stomach. They were still like that when Ben and Anna came back with their arms full of white plastic bags. The aroma from the bags made Rayne's mouth water as she followed Anna around the kitchen. Anna snickered while setting out the food on the counter.

"Scoot!" Anna turned to wrap her arm around Rayne's shoulder. "If you'll stop breathing down my neck, Mamí - I can get us sorted."

Rayne gave a dramatic sigh as the guys laughed at them. When Anna started handing out takeout boxes, Rayne moaned when she finally got hers. Tom laughed and tried to look inside, but got his fingers smacked in the process.

"I've only ever heard you make that noise in the throes of passion, darling. I'm a little disappointed that food makes you do it as well."

Rayne snorted, pointing at his dinner. "What did she get you? Your usual chicken Caesar Salad?"

Tom nodded, holding his container up while eyeing hers. "So what's that then?"

Rayne bites her lip and shrugs. "Oh, nothing much." She heard Anna snicker and gave her friend a dirty look. "Just a burger and fries."

Before Tom could reply, Anna pointed at a smaller container still on the counter. "There's also slaw in your box, plus I got you a wedge of double-dawg-dare chocolate cake for dessert."

Rayne looked at Anna with a grin. "Marry me. We'll leave these fools here and live happily somewhere in Mexico."

Anna and Ben laughed at Rayne's antics as Tom gave her a disapproving stare. "Darling, you know you aren't supposed to be eating things like that." He pointed at the box she was clutching in her hands. "It's loaded with fat, carbs, and preservatives." He held up a hand. "At least split the hamburger with me and eat some of my salad."

She pointed a finger at him with a glare. "Touch my food and lose a hand, string bean!" She laid her dinner almost reverently on the counter and opened the lid, staring at it in wonder. "This is the good stuff."

Anna laughed as Ben stole a fry from Rayne's box. "So since you two are here, what are we going to do for the evening?" She shrugged. "I guess we could watch some Netflix or something."

Rayne pulled her attention away from her food with an excited squeal. "Bowling!"

Anna started to grin as both men looked at Rayne like she was crazy. Tom shakes his head. "How about a movie instead?"

Rayne shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "Bowling." Seeing that he wasn't really being swayed, she stuck her lower lip out in a mock pout. "It's my last night here. Don't you want to do something fun?"

Tom sighed before looking at his best friend for assistance. "Do you know anything about bowling? I don't."

Ben grinned as he slapped Tom on the back. "I know it involves a ball and a lane that you roll said ball down. Other than that, no, but the lady wants to bowl, so buck up. We're going bowling!"

Rayne picked up her phone, shooting off a text as Tom watched her. "I'm texting Agnes to see if she and Sam want to join us."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dinner, Tom, Ben, and Sam all leave, saying something about running an errand after finding out what bowling alley they were all meeting at. Moments later, Rayne pulled into the Lucky Strike and shut off the car before turning to the other two women.

"Ok, we girls are sticking together tonight, right?"

Agnes and Anna both smiled and nodded, laughing at Rayne's fist pump. By the time they had the lane reserved and their shoes and balls took care of, the men finally showed up, well Sam anyway. He walked up chuckling to himself and sporting a brand new Hawaiian style shirt, leaning over to give Agnes a kiss on the cheek.

Agnes looked at him and grinned. "Where're the boys? Did they get on your nerves and you left them on the freeway?"

Sam shook his head. "Nope. They stopped at the restroom."

Just then, Tom and Ben came walking through the growing crowd, making Rayne chuckle. Only those two would have on matching blue and white striped bowling shirts and be able to pull them off with panache. She hears Anna snickering behind her and turns to see her friend shaking her head.

"Ok, ours are wearing bowling shirts and your dad thinks he's at a luau. They do know that isn't going to help them win, right?"

Rayne giggled as she watched Sam try to explain the shoe process to the two confused Brits. "Well, we can't say they aren't giving it their all. Can't fault them there."

Soon, Tom and Ben had their shoes sorted, although they spent five minutes complaining about wearing used shoes, and were listening to Sam as he explained the game to them. Rayne smirked before speaking up. "We're playing boys against girls if that's good for everyone?"

Tom frowned. "I can't play with you?"

Rayne snickered. "Nope, I wanna win."

Agnes, who had been at the snack bar, came back and handed Rayne a tray of loaded nachos. Tom wrinkled his nose up and shook his head. "Ray, you've already had enough of that sort of thing this evening."

Rayne sighed as she chewed up a loaded tortilla chip. "Look, Tom. I'm a red-blooded American girl, raised in Alabama. I like burgers, fried chicken... really anything carb loaded and greasy. Don't get me started on sweets."

Anna leaned in to whisper in Tom's ear. "Don't worry, I had Agnes get her the vegan ones. Just don't tell Rayne that."

Sam laughed and looked at Tom. "Son, as long as both she and the baby are healthy, it's not going to hurt every once in a while." He gave Rayne a stern look. "I'm sure she isn't going to go overboard, are you Rayne?"

She rolled her eyes and mumbled. "I guess I'm not."

Sam just chuckled as Tom grinned and leaned in to look at the container in Rayne's hands. "Those look interesting. Can I have a bite, darling?"

Rayne snickered before pulling the box out of reach. "Sure, where would you like me to bite you? Seriously though, no."

Tom gave her a grin before kissing her. When he drew back, he quickly stuck a tortilla chip in his mouth and walked away.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne turned over and punched her pillow again before groaning quietly and sitting up. Bowling had been way more fun that she had thought it would be. The boys put up a good fight, but the girls won in the end. Tom and Ben had picked the sport up quickly and actually did pretty well.

She rubbed her belly, thinking that she should have left the nachos alone as she swung her legs out of bed and grabbed her robe, being careful not to wake Tom. Tying the sash loosely around her middle as she padded down the hall to the sliding glass doors of the deck. She sat in the warm night air, looking up at the stars and thinking until she heard a throat clear.

Rayne looked behind her and saw Ben leaning against the glass door, yawning. He gestured behind him into the house. "I came out for a drink of water, then saw you sitting out here. Why aren't you in bed getting much-needed rest, mummy?"

Rayne gave him a small grin and shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

Ben lifted a brow and walked out to sit in the chair beside her. "Too excited?"

Rayne sighed. "I suppose. Mostly I'm feeling maudlin."

"Why is that?"

"Don't get me wrong. I love Tom, and I'm excited to move in with him, but I'm just a little sad to be leaving."

Ben reached over and patted her on the knee, giving her a kind smile. "Well, that's to be expected. You've lived here for years. It's only natural to feel sad about leaving what you know, what's comfortable."

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to miss this crazy city."

Ben nodded understandingly. "Well, of course, not to mention Sam and Agnes." He looks up at the stars for a moment before continuing. "When Anna made the move to London, she went through the same emotions, but soon came to see it as home. I'm sure you will too. Besides, you'll have us, plus Tom's mum to help you out whenever you need it, especially when Tom is filming or doing press or what have you. You know, it's not like you can't come back to visit whenever you want to."

Rayne nodded. "I know. It's just a new chapter in my life, isn't it? Starting something new, figuring out work, that's making me nervous, I suppose. Not Tom, or even London, really."

Ben looked at her questioningly. "Did you give up the partnership with Agnes?"

Rayne shook her head. "No. Agnes wanted me to retain my share, but we did move Melanie up too, so that makes me feel better about leaving. She was ready for more responsibility."

Ben grinned. "Well, I think you should get back to bed. There is a lot to do tomorrow before we leave."

Ben stood up and held out a hand to Rayne, who took it and let him lead her inside. They parted ways in the hallway as Rayne walked into the bedroom and shut the door. As she approached the bed, taking off her robe, Tom rolled over and watched her with drowsy eyes.

"Everything ok darling?"

Rayne gave him a small smile as she climbed back into bed. "Yeah, everything's fine."

Tom pulled the cover back over her and pulled her into his side, kissing her on the forehead. "Why are you up at this hour, then, if everything is ok?"

Rayne shrugged, laying an arm over his stomach. "I just had some things on my mind, that's all." She turned her head and kissed his chest. "I love you, you know."

Tom chuckled. "Well, darling, I certainly hope so. I love you too."


	34. With Six You Get Puppy Chow

 

Rayne breathed a sigh of relief when Tom shut the car door behind them. Getting through LAX had been bad enough, but Heathrow was like a free for all. Tom and Ben were flanking Rayne and Anna as they were led and followed closely by security. This seemed to make absolutely no difference to the paps pursuing them. Despite Rayne's recent run-in, it was business as usual with multiple cameras flashing and questions being shouted at them as they made their way toward the nearest exit.

Rayne was never so glad to see an SUV in her life as she was the matching ones idling right outside the terminal doors. The foursome had split into couples, with Ben and Anna making a beeline to their car as Tom and Rayne headed directly for theirs.

Once inside, Tom turned to Rayne, running his eyes over her - scanning carefully for apparent signs of distress. "You alright, darling?"

Rayne nodded, still trying to catch her breath. She finally chuckled, blowing a stray curl out of her face. "Yeah, but that was crazy!"

Tom sat back in the seat, letting his head fall back against the upholstery as he shook his head. "Indeed it was. I don't think I've ever personally experienced the press being that ferocious."

Rayne smirked as she suddenly turned and straddled Tom's waist, letting her forehead rest against his. "Well, what did you expect? I've been knocked up by the internet's boyfriend of all people." She snickered as she gave him a peck on the lips. "No wonder I'm the most hated woman on Tumblr right now."

Tom chuckled dryly and ran a hand through her hair. "You do know that I hate that expression, Ray."

Rayne winked at him. "What? Knocked up?" She shrugged. "Well, I am."

"That may well be, but I much prefer 'in the family way', or 'with child'."

Rayne put a stop to Tom's rambling by kissing him deeply before ending the kiss on a sigh. "What are we going to do first when we get home?"

Tom gave her a decidedly lecherous look, eyeing her mouth as if he wanted to kiss her again. "Well... I guess deal with the dogs first, I suppose, then perhaps a nap?" He kissed Rayne on the end of her nose. "Between the eleven-hour flight and running the media gauntlet twice, you have to be knackered darling."

Rayne grinned before biting her lip and giving Tom her best come hither look. "We haven't been together in over a month, Tom. Are you sure you want to sleep?"

Tom groaned as he traced her lips with one long finger. "Well, a bit of a kip might be in order, luv, because after we wake up? I'm going to have you screaming my name... more than once."

Rayne grinned slowly as she lightly ground down onto Tom's crotch, turning his chuckle into something between a low, throaty growl and a moan. "Oh my... you promise?"

Tom laughed and slapped her on the arse. "Oh, I guarantee it, darling."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rayne, this is George. He's been taking care of the dogs for us. George, this is Rayne."

Rayne shook hands with the man, trying to stifle a snicker. "So, you're like a dog nanny?"

George laughed and nodded. "Yes, that's exactly right. Tom has hired me to take care of Baci, Woof, and the pups until they are ready to go to their new homes."

Rayne left Tom to chat with George about the puppies and made her way into the laundry room where a makeshift kennel was in place. After greeting Baci and spending several minutes loving on Woof, she sat on the floor and was surrounded by four of the most precious puppies she had ever laid eyes on.

Tom found her twenty minutes later, sitting cross-legged on the floor, a puppy in each arm and the other two in her lap clamoring for her attention, as Woof and Baci lay snuggled contentedly off to the side. Tom watched her for a few more minutes as she sat blissfully unaware of his presence. When she finally looked up and saw him standing there smiling, Rayne gave him a pout.

"Do we have to give them away, Tom? They're so fluffy and cute!"

Tom chuckled and nodded, coming to lend a hand as she tried to get up from the floor. "Yes, I'm afraid we do, luv. We can't very well contend with six dogs and a newborn, darling."

Rayne shrugged as she preceded Tom into the kitchen, walking over to the freezer drawer while Tom made sure the fur family was bedded down for the night. She rummaged around for a minute before retrieving a pint of organic strawberry sorbet. She took a spoon from the flatware drawer then hiked herself up onto the counter, snack in hand. "Couldn't we just keep George on to take care of them?"

Tom came to stand between her legs, taking a bite of the sorbet that she offered him before replying. "We can certainly keep him on to care for Baci and Woof, for times when we're both out of town or what have you, but I'm afraid the pups really need forever homes, Ray darling. But, I have given some thought to that conundrum, though. How would you feel about making sure they go to children who want a dog but can't afford one?"

Rayne thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Kind of like Make-A-Wish? That would be pretty awesome, actually."

Tom smiled and leaned in for a cold kiss before continuing. "Since you're in such an agreeable mood, there's something else I'd like to discuss."

Rayne rolled her eyes and grinned. "Oh lord, here we go."

Tom chuckled around another spoonful of the icy confection as Rayne gleefully helped herself to more. "Well, I would like to revisit the idea of a bodyguard for you when you're out and about on your own in public places."

"Oh come on, Tom! I don't think that's necessary at all."

Tom gave her an incredulous look before shaking his head. "Well, I do! If today was any indication, you may need more than one." Rayne sighed as Tom blew out an exasperated breath, preparing for the next bone of contention. "I've also had Luke looking into finding an assistant for you and a nanny for when the baby comes."

Rayne shook her head as she sat the now empty container on the counter beside her. "Tom, I don't really have anything that I need assistance with at the moment, and we still have months before we'd even need a nanny - if we'll even need one at all."

Tom nodded as he leaned a little closer, his hands resting on the counter on either side of Rayne's hips. "True, but soon you will need someone to handle your schedule, help you keep track of mine, that kind of thing, and don't forget, darling... we will definitely need an extra set of hands if you plan on working after the baby comes." He let his forehead rest against hers. "I love you, and as much as I believe in you Rayne, you cannot do it all yourself, and no matter how hands-on I plan on being, I can only help so much. Now, I'm willing to look for someone who could fill all three roles if that makes things more palatable. I've already told Luke as much so that he knows what to look for."

Rayne looked at him for a moment before sighing. "This isn't something you're going to bend on, is it?"

Tom shook his head as he grinned down at her. "No, Rayne darling. It really isn't. I'd rather not have an exhausted partner, and frankly - I'd rather not be run down, either." He shrugged before adding, "We can afford it, so why not let's avail ourselves of the opportunity?"

Rayne bit her bottom lip before finally giving him a small grin. "Alright, Tom. But only if it'll help you sleep at night." She fingered the top button on his shirt, popping it loose with a smirk. "I kind of like it when you get all bossy...  _sometimes_."

Tom chuckled as he bent to kiss her. "Just sometimes, luv?"

Rayne laughed while she unfastened another button. "Yeah, just don't let it go to your head, big boy." She leaned closer to whisper in his ear. "I believe you said something about me screaming your name?" She licked his earlobe, sucking it between her lips for a moment before letting it go with a soft pop. "Am I remembering that right?"

Tom gave the most wicked chuckle Rayne had ever heard as she was unceremoniously picked up with his big hands and carried down the hall. With a small squeak, Rayne wrapped her legs around his waist as he marched to their room, kicking the door shut. She found her back against the door as Tom kissed her with all the pent-up lust that a month away from each other brings. She heard fabric ripping and vaguely wondered who's clothing that it was as they both stripped each other down in record time.

Tom worked his way down Rayne's body, making her moan low as his hands preceded his mouth, marking a trail for them to follow. He cupped her overly-sensitive, engorged breasts. One in each hand, tenderly kneading her flesh as his lips followed, slowly taking one nipple into his mouth to lick and suckle before releasing it to repeat his handiwork on the other.

"God, I love how plump your breasts are getting, luv. I could spend all night on them alone."

Contrary to what he said, he only spent precious few minutes lavishing attention to this particular part of her body before working his way down to spend a few moments caressing and worshiping her bump. Tom sank to his knees and gently coaxed Rayne's knees apart to encourage her to spread her legs a little more, while he made himself comfortable. The first touch of his lips and tongue nearly sent Rayne over the edge. She clutched his hair in both hands.

"Tom!"

Tom chuckled, looking up at her. "What was that darling? I couldn't hear you... I'm sure the neighbors couldn't either."

Rayne choked on a sob as Tom began to play in earnest. "You son of a bitch!"

Tom snickered against Rayne's clit, nearly making her eyes roll back in her head. "Now, Ray..." Tom chuckled. "That's certainly no way to talk about my mother, especially at a time like this, darling."

"Tom?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Please shut the fuck up..."

Tom threw his head back and laughed while stroking Rayne's soft inner folds. By the time he slid his fingers inside her, she was nearly chanting his name as she ground against his mouth and hand. Just as Rayne was ready to go over, Tom stopped and stood up to take her by the hand and lead her over to their bed. Rayne smirked to herself as she climbed onto the bed with Tom close behind her. She posed herself on her hands and knees then, looked over her shoulder, winking at Tom.

He grinned as he crawled behind her on his knees, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Is this what you want darling?"

Rayne nodded, pushing back into him to feel his cock pressing against her. He pulled his hips back and groaned as he deliberately slid into her torturously slow, making Rayne's back arch as Tom kissed and nipped on the curve of her neck just where her neck joined her shoulder. She rocked back into him and he met her with a thrust, both moaning out loud. Suddenly Tom slapped her hard on the ass, making Rayne cry out as her core tightened and pulsed around his cock. That was all it took for Tom to grab her hips and start thrusting harder, both of them more than ready to find their end. Rayne was indeed screaming his name loud enough for the neighbors to hear as they both found a release that was long overdue.

After, they lay sprawled across the bed, limbs tangled together and trying to find their breath. Rayne was the first to recover, chuckling as she ran a hand through Tom's damp curls.

"That was... amazingly hot."

Tom snickered. "And naughty. I wasn't too rough, was I darling?"

Rayne shook her head tiredly, snorting. "No! It was fantastic. We must do that again sometime."

Tom nuzzled Rayne's neck, secretly smiling to himself. "Well, whatever the lady desires... "

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Rayne was out and about with Diana as Tom had quite a few matters to go over with Luke. So, Rayne called Diana to ask if she wouldn't mind going out to lunch and a stroll around town. They had lunch at a local gastro-pub, then set out to see Rayne's new neighborhood.

"How are enjoying London, darling?"

Rayne grinned, sipping from a bottle of water. "Well, I just got here yesterday, so I'll have to let you know." She shrugged as she looked over at Tom's mother. "There's a lot of new things to get used to already. I'm actually surprised that I was allowed out of the house without a police escort." She stopped short, looking around her in wonder before turning to Diana with a huge smile on her face. "Do you realize where we are?"

Diana chuckled as she nodded. "Oh yes. I thought you might like to see Savile Row."

Rayne turned in a complete circle, giggling like a schoolgirl before slowing to a walk beside Diana again. They walked for a few more minutes before Rayne stopped in front of a dark window with a  _For Sale_  sign taped to it. She stepped closer to place both hands on the window, making a frame as she pressed her face to the glass to get a look inside. She stayed that way for a while before turning to Diana with an excited smile.

"I think I've just figured out what I want to do!"

Diana chuckled as she linked an arm through Rayne's. "Well, that's wonderful. You should call Tom and tell him."

Rayne wrinkled her nose a little then grinned. "I'll tell him later. I need to call the states first."

Diana nodded as they walked slowly down the street. "These new things that you speak of... nothing insurmountable, surely?"

Rayne sighed and shook her head. "No, not insurmountable, just different. I suppose my new normal is just going to take some getting used to."


	35. A New Normal

 

Rayne had just ended her call when Tom came walking into the kitchen for a hug and kiss.

"How was your lunch with mum?"

Rayne smiled as she took a bottle of water from the fridge, almost unable to hide her excitement. "It was fruitful. I found a storefront on Savile Row. I made an offer."

Tom stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding. "Alright. Give me the address and I'll have Luke look into it for you. He'll get it sorted."

Rayne shook her head as she poked around in the fridge some more. "No need. It's already sorted." She shrugged. "Well, I should say that my people are sorting it."

Tom chuckled as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "You have people now?"

Rayne lifted a brow. "I've always had people. Do you think only celebrities have people?" She closed the refrigerator and leaned against it, copying his stance. "One of us needs to pick up a few things for dinner. I'll need to start it soon."

"I'll go as soon as our appointment leaves. What time are Ben and Anna due to be here?"

Rayne turned a confused face to him. "Eight o'clock. What appointment do we have?"

Just then, the doorbell rings and Tom grinned before turning to walk out of the room. In minutes, he was back with an attractive brunette following behind him. He motioned between Rayne and the newcomer with a smile. "Rayne, this is Abigail Winthrop, your new assistant/nanny."

Rayne stared at him for a moment in shock before opening her mouth to speak. When nothing came out, she cleared her throat and tried again as she stuck a hand out to shake the other woman's.

Ms. Winthrop, it's a pleasure to meet you." She smiled at the other woman, completely ignoring the man beside her. "You'll have to forgive my surprise, but I didn't know a thing about you." She cut Tom a withering glare as the Abigail smiled in understanding.

"I understand, ma'am. I must say that it seemed odd that Mr. Hiddleston was the one conducting the interview. Usually, I talk to both people."

Rayne gave the world's worst imitation of a chuckle, making Tom shoot her a glance as she patted Abigail on the back. "Well, we do seem to have our own version of normal around here. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions of my own?" She looked at Tom before continuing. " _In private_?"

When Abigail nodded and grinned, Rayne sent her down the hall to find her office with the promise that she'd be right with her before rounding on Tom the second the woman was out of earshot.

" _Have you lost your fucking mind_?!"

Tom looked offended as he indignantly crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I'm sure I don't know what you're referring to, Rayne. She was the perfect choice for... "

Rayne held up a hand, cutting him off. "Not another word from you!"

Tom stared down at Rayne for a moment as the color slowly drained from his face before recovering his power of speech. "Bloody hell, Ray! Where did that mum voice come from?"

Rayne took a deep breath before taking a step closer to Tom, rubbing her baby bump. "Where the fuck do you  _think_  it came from?"

Tom took a deep breath. "But I was only looking out for you... for us, darling. She's honestly the best choice... "

"This isn't about me, Tom! This is all you."

Tom rubbed the back of his neck. "I really think I should be in the room when you speak to her, Ray."

Rayne gave a sarcastic chuckle. "Why? Afraid I'll fire your little girlfriend before she even starts?"

Tom glared at her, leaning in to get face to face. "I'm going to let the girlfriend remark go because you're upset, but yes - I honestly think you'll let her go without giving her a chance."

Rayne shook her head as she turned on her heels and marched down the hall. "Fine! You can be there too, but I swear Tom... one word and you will regret it!"

She paused in the hallway with her hand on the doorknob to take a deep breath before entering her office. Rayne then pasted on a bright smile as she stepped around her desk and took her seat across from Abigail.

"Sorry that we've kept you waiting." She waved a hand toward Tom as he shut the door and leaned against it, arms folded with a near scowl on his face. Even from here, Rayne could see the muscle jumping in his tensed jaw. "I'm also sorry that my office is such a mess. You see, I just moved here and I'm afraid I haven't gotten around to organizing just yet."

Abigail smiled cordially as she presented a file folder to Rayne. "That's alright. I assume helping you to keep organized would be one of my duties as your personal assistant. Mr. Hiddleston has explained your needs quite well." Rayne nodded and opened the folder. "This is my CV. My work history, various qualifications, and updated certifications are all listed," Abigale nodded. "Everything that I've presented to Mr. Hiddleston is here for your approval,"

Rayne spent a few moments quietly leafing through the paperwork, nodding occasionally. "I see you have extensive security training, CPR certifications, child care credentials...  _impressive_." She looked up from the papers, first at Tom in time to see his cocky grin, then to Abigail, whom she gave a genuine smile. "I'm sure Mr. Windsor checked you out quite thoroughly, so I'm confident that you are exactly what you say that you are, Abigail."

"Thank you, ma'am. Will this be a live-in situation?"

Rayne cut Tom a look, glaring when he didn't lose the smile fast enough. "Not at this point, no... But, as we progress, it may become necessary. Would that meet your expectations?"

Abigail smiled and nodded. "Yes, ma'am, that's fine."

Rayne smiled at her. "Call me Rayne, please."

The other woman smiled and chuckled. "In that case - please call me Abby, Rayne."

Rayne chuckled as she stood up. "Well, Abby, I suppose you can start tomorrow."

"Thank you for the opportunity." Abby closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll be texting you with details about what time to report for duty in the morning, is that agreeable?" 

Abby stood and reached across Rayne's desk to cement their understanding with a handshake. "Yes, looking forward to your text." 

Rayne rose to her feet to watch Abigale leave. The second the door closed behind Abby, Rayne turned and marched down the hall in the other direction to their bedroom where she stood for a beat to look around. Tom followed at a discreet distance, whistling to himself, happy that all was well.

"What are you doing, darling?"

"Trying to decide what to do first. What did you think I was doing?"

Tom grinned, walking farther into the room. "Well, darling, I thought you might be trying to decide how to apologize for how harshly you spoke to me earlier. I mean, it isn't really necessary. I know your hormones must be... "

"You really are out of your fucking mind, aren't you?" She shook her head as he looked at her in surprise. "No, Tom. I was trying to decide what to do first. Go for a run to work off some of this hell energy before our friends get here, or should I go to the shops to pick up food for our dinner? Or, perhaps I should go ahead and start moving my things, although that could wait until later I suppose."

Rayne took silent pleasure in the look of pure panic that flashed across Tom's face before he reigned it in. "Wait... where do you think you're going?"

"For now, to the guest room. I suppose I could go ahead and do that. I mean, I haven't really unpacked yet."

Rayne was startled when Tom slammed the bedroom door shut and advanced slowly toward her. "You absolutely are not sleeping in another room.  _This_  is our bedroom," Tom waved a hand over his head. "And, I fully expect you will sleep in our bed, with me. Separating ourselves won't solve the problem, Ray."

Rayne sighed as she sat on the side of the bed. "That's just it, Tom. I don't think you know what the problem is." She looked at him, unshed tears in her eyes. "Are you going to the store or am I?" She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the hem of her shirt.

Tom sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll do it. Perhaps you should rest a bit."

She just shrugged as he opened the bedroom door and sullenly stalked away.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ok, what's up with you two? You haven't said two words to each other all evening."

Rayne spared Tom a glance to see him quickly shift his eyes away from her and shook her head with a sarcastic smirk. "It seems that Tom thinks I left my brain under my doormat in L .A."

Tom snorted and shook his head in frustration. "I never said that, Rayne! Don't put words in my mouth!"

She ignored him as she turned to a stunned Ben and Anna, leaning around him to look directly at her friend. "Would you like to hear how my day has gone?" When Anna nodded and leaned in toward her, Rayne continued. "I had a lovely lunch with Diana while Tom was taking care of some business with Luke. As we took a walk around town, I came across a lovely vacant storefront. When Tom came home, he demanded the address so he could have Luke look into it."

Tom sighed as he rested his elbows on the table, leaning toward Ben. "I was just trying to help her. I know she has a lot going on and... "

Rayne held up a hand, making Tom growl under his breath. "He seems to forget that I have an accountant and lawyers for that sort of thing. I don't need him to ' _sort it_ '." By now, Anna was giving Tom the stink eye as Rayne continued. "Then, the doorbell rings, and oh... guess who?" Anna furrowed her brow and shrugged. "Tom proudly presents my new assistant."

Anna looked at her in surprise. "You hired someone already?"

Rayne shook her head and serenely took a sip of her water. "Nope. Tom did."

Anna turned her head slowly in Tom's direction. " _You_  hired  _her_  new assistant? Tell me you didn't..."

Tom scoffed as even Ben began staring at him with a curious look. "She's just upset that I took the initiative and managed to pick the perfect person without her input."

Rayne continued to ignore the man beside her as she looked at her best friend. "She looks like she's fresh outta high school. A lovely little thing."

Tom rolled his eyes and huffed. "Actually, she's almost thirty, Ray. I suppose she just ages well. Anyway, you can't honestly think that I picked her for her looks."

Rayne shook her head and sighed. "No, you're right, I don't. In fact, to be fair, you're also right that her qualifications are impeccable. She's exactly who I would have chosen."

Tom looked at her now, frowning slightly. "But you did choose her, darling."

"No," Rayne narrowed her eyes at Tom. "You had already hired her before I even had a chance to meet her."

Anna pointed a finger at Tom. "C'mon, dude...You can't honestly tell me that you don't see how all of this went tits up."

Ben chuckled at that, taking Anna's hand to kiss the back of it. "Even I'm starting to see where he bolloxed it up."

Tom continued to look around, staring blankly at all of them as Anna shook her head. "Ok, let's try this. Do you run all of your business decisions by Rayne before you make them?"

Tom shook his head. "Well, no, but... "

Anna shrugged and threw her hands in the air. "Then why should she? Rayne can do those things herself, Tom, and it really wasn't your place to pick a personal assistant for her."

Tom nodded, grinning a little. "Ok, I see your point, but Abby won't just be working for Rayne. She'll also be charged with taking care of our child or children if she lasts long enough. That should be a joint decision."

Rayne gave a sarcastic chuckle as she slapped Tom on the shoulder. "Number one, you're making a huge assumption that we'll ever have sex again." Ben snorted in amusement as he lowered his eyes to look at his empty plate. "Number two, you're right, but you made a  _joint_ decision solely on your own, with no input from me whatsoever. Getting it now?" Tom ran a hand through his hair and stared down at the table while Rayne shook her head, pushed away from the table and sighed. "I'll get dessert."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne stirred awake and looked at the clock on the bedside table before trying to turn over. Trying was the operative word because she was pinned down by an arm around her waist. She sighed and pushed on Tom's arm, trying to dislodge herself, but he wouldn't budge.

"Tom."

She felt him stir behind her, and a muffled answer. "Hmmm?"

She pushed on his arm again, harder this time. "Get off me. We're fighting, remember?"

She heard him yawn as his arm tightened a little more around her. "No darling, you're fighting. I'm trying to make up."

"Seriously, Tom. I need to pee."

With a sigh, he moved over enough for her to get out from under his grasp and she made a beeline for the hall bathroom. When she was finished, she walked back into the guest bedroom and stood in the moonlit room watching him sleep for a minute. Earlier, after she had gotten the kitchen cleaned up, Rayne had grabbed a nightgown from the bureau in their bedroom and come into a spare room to sleep while Tom was still tending to the dogs. She thought he would take the hint but apparently, he hadn't.

She heard the bed move as Tom sat up on the side of the bed, looking over at her in the doorway. He held out a hand to her. "Rayne darling, will you come back over here, please?" He patted the mattress beside him.

She sighed and looked down at her bare feet. "You should go back to bed."

Tom shook his head "Are you? Coming back to our bed?"

"Tom..."

"Then I'll sleep here, where you are. It's not as comfortable as our bed is, but it will do if you're in it."

Rayne grinned to spite herself, shaking her head. "Anna was right. You really don't know how to fight. You're supposed to be in the other room."

Tom cocked his head to the side the same way she'd seen Woof do a thousand times. "Oh no, Ray. I know how to fight, I just don't see a point. You say I'm supposed to be in our bedroom while you're in here, but what does that solve?" He shrugged. "I'd rather be wherever you are, whenever possible, even if you're angry with me. Please, luv. Come here..."

Rayne sighed before padding across the carpet in her bare feet, not taking his hand but sitting close to him on the bed, making sure that there was plenty of room between them. Tom chuckled, then abruptly pulled her into his lap. He laid a gentle hand on her bump, lightly rubbing as his head lay on her shoulder. "I need to apologize for today. I was a wanker, and I'm so very sorry. I should have known that you would want to be involved, but I think I was just so set on being the protector that I didn't see that you really don't need that from me."

Rayne couldn't keep her hand out of his hair, running it through her fingers. "It's not that I don't need that,  _sometimes_ , but right now I just need you to support me, and love me, Tom. Just...  _Be my partner_."

"I want to be all of those things and more, darling. I want to be whatever you need me to be." He lifted her chin with a fingertip and smiled at her. "Can you forgive me?"

Rayne sighed before gently pulling on his hair. "Are you going to do it again?"

Tom snickered as he rubbed his nose against hers. "Probably, but I give you my permission to give me a sound thump when I do."

Rayne snorted. "As if I'd wait for permission." She gave him a lopsided grin. "Well, I guess that's the best I'm going to get, huh?" He nodded before kissing her softly. "Okay, Hiddles. In that case - I forgive you."

Tom chuckled as he stood up and took her hand in his. "Gracious as ever. Can we go back to our room now?" He looked back at the bed in disdain. "We need a new mattress in here. This one is crap."


	36. Life In London

 

_One Month Later_

Rayne looked up as Abby came in the office. She smiled at her assistant as Abby took the seat across the desk from her.

"What's my schedule look like today, Abby?"

The young woman swiped the face of her tablet a few times before answering. "Looks like a free morning, then you have lunch with Anna and the rest of the day is free as well."

Rayne smiled at the mention of her friend. She hadn't had a chance to see her in weeks and was looking forward to some girl time before leaving for L.A.

"Sounds like a pretty good day." She tilted her head at Abby and grinned. "How about going for a ride into town? I'd like to check out the thrift shops for some vintage clothing."

Abby nodded, grinning. "Yes, that sounds like a good way to wile away the morning. Oh, your lawyer called and said that the closing of the Savile Row property should be next week."

Rayne chuckled delightedly and fist pumped the air as Abby laughed along with her. "Yes! Finally! Just in time, too. Things are finally starting to fall into place."

As they left Raye's office and walked down the hall to the foyer, Abby turned to her boss. "You've never told me what type of shop you plan on opening."

Rayne looked shocked as she took her handbag from the hall table. "I haven't? Seriously?" She shook her head and chuckled. "Boy, this pregnancy has me loopier than I usually am." She locked up then they walked to Abby's car sitting at the curb. "I'm opening a boutique I suppose. I'm going to recondition vintage and designer clothing, maybe throw in some of my own designs as well."

Abby considered what Rayne had told her before finally nodding. "Sounds like my kind of place. I'm sure you'll be very successful."

Rayne shrugged as they started down the road. "Well, perhaps not at first, but hopefully I'll build a following. It's all about return customers."

Abby nodded then glanced at her passenger. "Where to first?"

Rayne thought for a moment before replying. "Old Spitalfields to start, I think. If we're too long there, I'll call Anna and have her meet us there for lunch."

As Abby pointed the car in that direction, Rayne went through a mental list of what type of items she was looking for and before she knew it, they were pulling into a parking garage down the street from the market.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Early afternoon found Anna, Rayne, and Abby sitting at a table in an outdoor cafe, laughing hysterically at a story Rayne was telling about a movie shoot she did with Michael Fassbender. Abby looked down at her phone and grinned before glancing at Rayne.

"Is your phone dead by any chance?"

Rayne fished her phone out of her pocket and cringed. "Yeah, it is actually. Why?"

Abby chuckled as she typed something into her phone quickly. "Because Tom is texting me wanting to know where his girlfriend is and how long we're going to be."

Rayne rolled her eyes as Anna snickered. "Oh my goodness, he must be home from his meetings already. Tell him we'll be along in a little while."

Anna grinned as she reached over to give Rayne's hand a gentle squeeze. "How are you two doing? Has his daddy brain calmed down any?"

Rayne chuckled and nodded. "Yes, finally. We're doing good. Busy, but good. How are you and Ben?"

Anna grinned bashfully. "We're doing pretty good. I'm consulting on his new thing for the Beeb."

Rayne laughed and nodded. "You guys sound busy, too. That's always a good thing. Tom and I just need some time alone, but that's not in the cards any time soon. Hopefully before the baby gets here."

Anna nodded knowingly. "I completely understand, believe me. Perhaps a trip to Palm Island might be necessary soon.  _For all of us_." Anna reached over the arm of her chair to lay a hand on Rayne's baby bump and smiled at her friend.

Rayne nodded excitedly. "Oh, that sounds like a plan!" She sighed as she took a quick glance at her watch. "I suppose we should get going. I still have a little packing to do before tomorrow morning."

Anna looked at her friend. "Where you headed, Mamí?"

Rayne chuckled as they all stood up to leave. "L.A. for a few days. I have some meetings and things that I need to take care of."

Anna just nodded as she pulled Rayne in for a hug. "Well, you have a safe flight. Call me when you get back and maybe we can all have dinner."

They parted ways, each of the friends heading home to their men.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne shut the front door softly behind her as she heard Abby's car drive down the street. She sat her bag down and toed off her heels as she listened for signs of life in the house. Dimly, she could hear a television from the other end of the house. Rayne grinned and headed for their bedroom, assuming correctly that she would find Tom there. She stopped in the doorway and smiled softly as she saw Tom laying across the bed with a script laying across his chest and his glasses low on the bridge of his nose, softly snoring.

She moved soundlessly across the carpet on bare feet and carefully climbed into the bed, trying not to wake him as she moved the papers and his glasses and laid them on the bedside table. She laid down beside him with her head on the pillow and her face a mere inch or two from his, watching him sleep for a few minutes. Finally, she watched as he started to stir, muttering something that sounded a lot like her name under his breath as his eyes slowly opened. Another few seconds for them to focus and he was smiling sleepily at her.

"Hello, darling."

Rayne grinned as she leaned in for a kiss. "Hello yourself. Have a nice nap?"

Tom yawned as he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Yes, I did actually. Did you have a good day?"

Rayne nodded before laying her head on Tom's chest above his heart. "I did. Made some great finds at the thrift shops and had lunch with Anna. How about you?"

Tom considered her question as he rubbed her back absently. "I accomplished a great deal today." He leaned down to kiss her on the tip of the nose. "Before I fell asleep, I was thinking that perhaps we could go out tonight, do something before you leave me again."

Rayne grinned. "That sounds lovely. What did you have in mind?"

Tom just shook his head and chuckled. "Nope. It's a surprise."

Rayne sighed and leaned back in his arms a bit. "Well, do I need to change?"

Tom shook his head, not ready to relinquish his hold on her just yet. "What you're wearing is fine for what I have planned darling."

Once the dogs were taken care of and the house locked behind them, Tom took Rayne's hand and walked to the car. Once in town, Tom parked up the street from Royal Festival Hall and got out, jogging around the car to help Rayne.

She looked at him with a raised brow. "What are we doing here?"

Tom gave her a small snicker as he wrapped an arm around her waist to guide her up the street. "Well, darling, I don't think you've ever taken a ride on The Eye, and since it's perfectly clear tonight - I thought this would be a perfect night for it, that's all. I also thought dinner here before our ride."

Rayne laughed and nodded excitedly. "I love that idea!"

After dinner and a quick stroll, they stood in line for The Eye, spending the time chatting quietly with the people around them. When it was their turn in the queue, Tom led Rayne to a private car and shut the door behind them. She saw a tray with sparkling cider and a bowl of strawberries sitting by the seat and grinned.

"I thought they always had champagne in these swanky private cars."

Tom laughed as he pours them each a glass of the bubbly juice. "Well, I promise to bring you back when you can have the alcohol, but for now this will have to do."

Rayne nodded as she took the glass from Tom and sipped it. "Point taken."

They both looked on as the city of London spread out far below them, the lights sparkling against the backdrop of the gorgeous sunset. After a few minutes, Tom took Rayne's hand in his and turned to face her. She looked up at his suddenly serious expression with a slight frown. He smiled to put her at ease before lowering himself to one knee in front of her, reaching into his pocket for a tiny bright blue ring box.

"Rayne, darling, these last few months have been more than I ever expected them to be. I... I can't tell you what the idea of having you with me here, in my home, means to me, and I'll never be able to put into words what the thought of having a family with you means. What I can tell you is that I love you more with each passing day, and I look forward to loving you for the rest of my life." He opened the box with shaking fingers to reveal a beautiful diamond solitaire in a platinum setting. With tears in his eyes, he held it out to her. "Rayne, would you make me the happiest man on earth, and say that you'll marry me?"

Rayne looked down at his face, so full of love and longing that it stole her breath. She slowly breathed in before raising a hand to run a finger down his cheek. "Tom, I love you more with every breath I take. You are the most wonderful man that I've ever met, and I'm so happy that fate decided to give you to me a second time." She held her left hand out to him with a smile while tears of happiness were streaming down her face. "Yes, Tom... I'd be honored to be your wife."

Rayne was so happy that she was unable to hold back her emotions as Tom slid the ring on her finger. He stood up to gather her in his arms, slowly swaying them back and forth. Then, he tilted Rayne's chin up to look her directly in the eyes, threaded his fingers through her hair and kissed her deeply. When they were through, he smiles down at her and, at that moment, Rayne knew that she'd never seen Tom look this happy, but then, she was feeling pretty ecstatic herself.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once home and after the dogs were all fed and cuddled, Tom carried Rayne to their bedroom and made love to her like it was their first night together. Afterward, as they lay sated and sleepy, Tom with his head on Rayne's stomach right above her bump, his hand caressing her and talking quietly to the baby.

"So, did you hear? Mummy agreed to marry Daddy! Isn't that the most brilliant thing you've ever heard?"

Rayne giggled as she ran her fingers through Tom's hair, watching as the light shined off of her engagement ring. "Tom ya goof, the baby knows that already."

She felt him smile before he placed a gentle kiss on the swell of her belly. "Yes, darling, but I'm just making sure he knows." He was quiet for a moment before continuing. "Have you given any thought to names yet, luv?"

Rayne sighed as she stared at the ceiling, her fingers still combing through his soft curls. "Not really. I mean, I've kicked a few ideas around but nothing concrete. Have you?"

Tom shook his head before levering himself up to lay beside her, a hand still firmly planted on the baby. "No, not really. I think we have plenty of time for that, yeah?" Rayne nodded and Tom continued. "How many children do you want, darling?"

Rayne shrugged before grinning at him. "I don't really know. I mean, honestly, I never really expected to have one yet, so I'm not sure on actual numbers." She lifted a brow and he laughed at her expression. "Why? Just how many do you have in mind, Mr. Hiddleston?"

Tom snickered as he leaned over for a kiss. "Well, that's always negotiable, but I'm thinking a few, at least."

Rayne eyed him suspiciously. "Three or less?"

Tom kissed her again before laying down with his head close to hers, staring into her eyes as he smiled. "Three or less, three or more... I'm willing to go with whatever you agree to, darling."

Rayne pointed to her eyes with two fingers, then pointed directly to Tom who laughed out loud before scooting back down to nuzzle her belly with the tip of his nose. 


	37. Cocktail Dresses And Downtime

 

Rayne and Abby walked quickly through LAX, fielding a barrage of shouted questions from paps about Tom, the baby, and the ring that one swiftly spotted on Rayne's left ring finger. As they made their way to the front entrance and the safety of the car beyond, the usual bank of photographers were keeping a respectful distance for once - possibly because of Rayne's condition.

She took a breath and checked her phone before glancing at Abby. "Ok, Agnes said we could stay in my old apartment, so I thought we'd drop our things at my place. Then, I'll drive us over to the shop."

Abby nodded her head as she checked her tablet. "Sounds good, but I can drive if you'd like, Rayne. Give you a rest."

Rayne chuckled dryly. "I feel like that's all I've been doing lately. Besides, I haven't driven since I moved to London. I kind of miss it."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they were dropped off at Rayne's old apartment, the ladies unpacked rather quickly, then Rayne returned texts from Tom, and headed off for a quick shower, while Abby scrolled through several new emails. When she came out of the bathroom, she found Abby sitting at the kitchen island, staring at her phone with an awestruck look on her face. Rayne opened the refrigerator to see what was available and chuckled quietly. She saw an assortment of drinks and snacks that would get them through the next few days, including many of her favorites. Thank god for Agnes.

"What are you looking so shocked for?"

Abby shook her head as if clearing the space. "Robert Downey Jr. just called for you."

Rayne smiled at the mention of her friend. "I haven't seen him in ages! What did he want?"

"He wanted to know if you happened to be in town, and when I said that yes you were, he wanted you to call him ASAP."

Rayne nodded as she picked up her phone. "Well, why don't you go shower while I do that?"

Abby nodded her thanks and left the kitchen for the guest bedroom while Rayne waited for her call to go through. She chuckled when she heard that familiar voice come on the line.

"This has to be my favorite wardrobe mistress calling me back. Hiya Rayne! How are ya, doll face?"

"I'm good, Robert. How are you? How's Susan?"

"Both quite excellent, thanks for asking. Tom wouldn't happen to be with you, would he?"

"No, I'm here on business. Why? What's up?"

Rayne grinned when she heard him sigh on the other end of the line. "Well, we're having a little get together this weekend for the 4th at our place in Malibu. Why don't you see if you can find Mrs. Cumbers. We'd love to see you two? I thought maybe the two expats would like a little American nostalgia. Hotdogs, burgers...  ya know all that trad corny stuff. Whaddaya say?"

Rayne gave a delighted laugh, thinking that not much sounded better than a couple of days of beach and surf. "That sounds amazing actually! Let me see what I can do."

"Well, even if Anna isn't available, don't let that stop you. We promise to keep you entertained."

Rayne ended the call after promising to let him know, then quickly found Anna's number and waited for it to ring through.

"Hey, girl, what's up? Miss me already?"

Rayne was laughing with Anna when she saw Abby coming back into the kitchen to join her. "Yes, of course, I miss you, but that's not why I'm calling. What are you doing this weekend?"

"Hmmm... not much, probably. I have a few days free while Ben is putting the finishing touches on an audiobook. Why?"

"Robert and Susan are having a 4th of July party at their place this weekend and invited us. I say, get your bikini and jump on a plane, biotch."

Anna squealed in laughter. "Throwdown with The Bobfather...! Sounds like a plan. I'll let you know when I touch down at LAX."

Rayne fist pumped the air. "Yass! Ok, do that! Talk soon."

She hung up and looked at Abby with a smile. "Are we ready to go to work?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they made it through the L.A. traffic to the office, Rayne made quick introductions then took a meeting with Naomi. She'd been with Rayne and Agnes for several years and Rayne really wanted her for the new shop in London. After securing a yes from Naomi, Rayne went with her and Abby to the warehouse behind the shop to look through the inventory.

They found several dresses that could be reworked and set them aside for shipment before Rayne left the two women to go in search of Agnes. She found her on the phone in her office, presumably talking to Sam since she had a goofy grin on her face. Rayne plopped down in the chair opposite the desk and rubbed her bump while waiting for Agnes to end her call.

"Did you find anything useful?"

"Yup, we did," Rayne nodded. She covered her mouth to mask a yawn. "I'd forgotten how much great stuff is tucked away back there," Rayne pointed over her shoulder in the direction of the warehouse.

"We've stored so many things over the years, haven't we? So, do you have enough to get things rolling when you get back?" Agnes asked.

"Oh yeah. About a dozen dresses. Abby and Naomi are removing them from the computer inventory and packing them up for shipment to the UK."

"Good." Agnes smiled proudly.

"Agnes, are you sure you're alright with me stealing Naomi away from you?"

Agnes chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. She'll probably go farther with you. Sounds like you're gonna have your hands full. By the way, have I told you that I think you have a great idea for the store? I think it's going to do quite well."

Rayne nodded. "I hope so, anyway. How's Sam?"

"He's fine," Agnes grinned. "You'll have a chance to see for yourself later on tonight. He's coming for dinner. How's Tom?" Agnes leaned forward on an elbow and rested her chin on the heel of her hand.

"Good... He's good. He had some press to do and couldn't make the trip, but after this, he's going to be around a lot until the baby comes."

Agnes snorted as she pointed a finger at Rayne. "Mmm, okay... Maybe he'll be able to slow you down a bit."

Rayne just grinned. "Hey, I'm already slowing down a little. I've suspended all my speaking engagements until after the baby comes and this is my last trip overseas until then as well. I'm gonna be sticking a lot closer to home."

"See that you do. I'd hate to hear that the baby was born mid-flight."

Rayne chuckled and shook her head as she stood up. "I'm going to go see where the girls are then head home. I need a nap I think."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a refreshing nap and wonderful dinner with Sam, Agnes, and Abby, Rayne was presently curled up in bed watching an episode of Ancient Aliens, hoping that it would lull her to sleep. Her phone beeped and she looked to see a Skype request from Tom, which she accepted with a grin. Seconds later, Tom's face filled her screen.

"Hey, handsome. I was just thinking about you." She peered at him closer, now seeing that he looked tired. "Are you ok? You look exhausted baby."

He smiled at her and shook his head. "No darling, I'm just fine. Missing you terribly is all. I'm regretting not tossing everything here and getting on that plane with you." He pursed his lips together and shrugged. "How was your flight?"

"It was fine, nothing out of the ordinary. I found some great dresses in the warehouse today and hired Naomi, so we're all set. I should be able to take possession of the property when I get back."

He smiled and nodded. "That's wonderful darling. I'm happy that everything is working out the way it should."

Rayne nodded. "Yes, and all my business is finished here, so tomorrow I'm going to take Abby for a little sightseeing, and then some shopping. I need a swimsuit."

Tom chuckled. "That's right. Ben said you and Anna were invited to Robert's for the weekend."

Rayne nodded. "Yes, and I didn't pack a bikini."

Tom raised a brow. "A bikini? I don't suppose I could talk you into a tasteful one piece instead, could I?"

Rayne snorted. "I don't suppose you could, no. Are you trying in your polite British way to tell me that I'm getting too fat for a bikini?"

Tom grinned at her in a decidedly lascivious way. "No, darling, not at all. I would just rather that I was the only one seeing that delectable body."

Rayne winked at him and giggled. "Is that right?" He nodded and laughed. "You know that flattery will get you everywhere, right?"

Tom shook his head and grinned. "Oh, it's not flattery darling. I'll show you as soon as I see you again."

Rayne could feel herself blushing under his intense gaze. "Tom! You know better than to talk that way!"

Tom just laughed and shook his head. "I love the fact that I can still make you blush, darling. And yes, I remember your abhorrence for acting on anything remotely sexy through Skype, Ray."

She shrugged a shoulder and grinned. "You can hardly blame me, baby." Rayne lifted an eyebrow. "I just like to touch what I'm looking at, that's all."

Tom bit his lip before nodding slowly. "And touch you will, luv." He sighed before he chuckled. "Ok, subject change. You're feeling alright? No problems?"

Rayne nodded. "Yeah, I've been good. Perhaps a little more tired than usual, but I guess that's to be expected."

Tom grinned. "I suppose so darling. You're getting along to five months now. You are resting when you need to, yes?"

Rayne chuckled and shook her head. "Tom, I've only been gone a day."

He looked bashful for a moment, nervously fumbling as he adjusted his glasses. "I know, luv, but you also know how prone I am to worry when you're not in my immediate vicinity." He sighed again. "Speaking of rest, I suppose I should let you get some. I'll call you tomorrow, alright?" Rayne nodded. "I love you, darling."

Rayne smiled. "I love you too, Tom."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Rayne clapped her hands excitedly as she eyed Abby. "Ok, this is your first trip to L.A. and we are going to go see the sights! Anything you want to do."

Abby stood in the middle of the kitchen looking down at her mug of coffee while she considered Rayne's offer. Finally, she raised her head and grinned at Rayne. "Anything I want?"

Rayne nodded quickly. "Yep, anything."

Abby grinned. "I'd really like to see the Hollywood sign."

An hour later, Abby was strapped into a helicopter seat, clutching Rayne's arm, looking amused, thrilled and scared to death simultaneously. Rayne laughed as she patted the younger woman's hand to comfort her. She turned her head to speak, raising her voice to be heard over the rotors as the craft lifted off the ground. "Believe me, this is the best way to see the sign! You'll be so happy that you did. You're completely safe, just relax and enjoy the view!"

Abby relaxed and absentmindedly let go of Rayne to lean closer to the window, watching with rapt attention as they flew over the Hollywood hills. Before she was ready, the flight was over and they were once again on solid ground. She looked at Rayne, eyes wide with excitement and joy before breaking out in a huge grin.

"That was the most amazing experience I've ever had!"

Rayne laughed and winked at her before unlocking the car. "I told ya. Ok, where to next?" When Abby looked unsure, Rayne makes a suggestion. "How about Universal Studios? They have tours."

Abby nodded excitedly and both women giggled as they set off for their next adventure. Three hours later, they found themselves walking out of The La Brea Tar Pits Museum. Abby checked her phone several times which made Rayne sigh a bit before grinning at her.

"I thought this was our business free day, Abby."

Abby looked up with a shy, slightly guilty grin. "It is! It's... my mum." She looked at Rayne. "Can we take a tour bus around town, d'ya think? The one we passed earlier, maybe?"

Rayne nodded, knowing exactly the one she was talking about. "Sure. Let's go."

They drove to the bus depot, to board, choosing to sit on the top deck at Abby's enthusiastic insistence. Once seated, Rayne checked her phone, thinking it odd that Tom hadn't called before now. Just as she was getting ready to ask Abby if she'd heard from him, she heard a very familiar voice speak from directly in front of her.

"Excuse me, miss, but is this seat taken?"


	38. The Grandmaster And Girls Night

 

"Excuse me, miss. Is this seat taken?"

Rayne looked up and a huge grin came across her face as she jumped up and threw her arms around Jeff Goldblum's neck. He laughed and lifted her off the ground, swinging her around in the cramped space of the bus aisle.

"Jeff! What the hell are you doing on a tour bus, of all places?"

He set her back on her feet and grinned down at her. "Well, I thought it was you getting on the bus, so I followed along. I wanted to say hi." He looked around as the bus started up and the tour guide started his speech. "I guess I'm stuck now."

He shrugged and sat down beside Rayne as she laughed and introduced him to Abby. They chatted for the duration of the tour, occasionally snickering at Abby as she looked around in fascination. When the bus arrived back at the depot, they all got off and started to part ways as Rayne grabbed Jeff's arm.

"Would you happen to be going to Robert's party this weekend?"

Jeff nodded as he leaned in to kiss her goodbye. "I am! Are you?" At her nod, he chuckled. "Well, it will be a fun time then! See you soon."

Rayne and Abby watched as he walked away from them before Rayne spotted a small boutique on the corner. She grabbed Abby by the hand and started dragging her down the street. "We have shopping to do!" She looked at the younger woman and grinned. "This has been a long day for you. I bet you're ready to head back to London and relax for a couple of days."

Abby chuckled as she nodded, holding the door open for Rayne to walk through into the air conditioning. "I've had a blast, but yeah, I'll be glad to get home."

As Rayne looked through the racks, she grinned at Abby. "Well, I have to say, I've missed L.A."

After Rayne picked out two bikinis and an armful of maxi dresses, they walked back to the car then headed to Rayne's apartment. Abby's flight was less than a few hours away, so she finalized a few details with Naomi before getting ready for Rayne to drive her to the airport and see her off. Just as Rayne was leaving the terminal, her phone rang and she looked to see that it was Tom.

"Hey babe, what's up?"

"Nothing much darling. Did Abby get off all right?"

Rayne grinned as she started the car. "Yeah, she's headed back to you. Anna's supposed to be here in a few hours, but I don't have to come back and get her. She said she's gonna make a quick stop so she's calling an Uber," she sighed. "I wish you were coming as well."

"I know Ray, but it couldn't be helped. Have fun, darling. Before you know it, you'll be back here with me, but I am happy to hear that you miss me, too. By the by - did you find a swimsuit?"

Rayne chuckled as she rolled to a stop at an intersection. "Yes, I did. A tiny black bikini."

She heard Tom groan on the other end of the line and snickered. "That was a low blow, darling even for you. You will send me a picture, won't you?"

Rayne snorted as she pulled into the driveway at Agnes's. "Yeah, I don't think so buster. You'll survive. Ok, gotta go. I need a shower, then I'm gonna chill out on the couch for a bit."

"Are you feeling alright?"

Rayne rolled her eyes as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. "Yeah, I'm just a little tired. Talk soon, ok?"

"Alright, darling. I love you."

"I love you too."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, Rayne is roused from sleep by her doorbell. When she opened the door she saw Anna beaming at her. She grinned as her friend walked in carrying a backpack and a fully loaded shopping bag. Rayne waited impatiently for Anna to set down her bags before practically jumping at her for a hug.

"Ahhhh! Anna... good to see you. What's in the bag?" She looked a bit confused. "And where's your luggage?"

Anna snickered and pointed at the backpack. "I brought a bikini, two shirts, a pair of shorts and some panties. I'm good. I mean, we're headed home after the party, right?" She held up the grocery bag, emblazoned with Whole Foods on the side. "I'm going to make us dinner."

Rayne grinned and shook her head as she led the way into the kitchen. "You know, I do know how to cook, just FYI."

Anna winked at her as she sat the bag on the counter and began unloading it, organizing as she went. "Yes, I know, but expectant moms should sit and take it easy. Just let Auntie Anna take care of everything. Have you talked to Tom lately?"

Rayne eyed the items Anna took out of the bag suspiciously as she answered her. "Yeah, a little while ago. He told me to have a good time at Robert's. Ok, what the hell is all of this for?"

Anna snickered as she found the cast iron dutch oven and set it on the stove. "Vegan chili and roasted corn spoonbread." She pulled the last item out of the bag, a six-pack of Brewdog Nanny State non-alcoholic beer. "And beer. The safe kind."

Rayne lifted a brow and pointed at the bag of meatless crumbles. "Did Tom put you up to this?"

Anna shook her head as she poured the meatless crumbles into the dutch oven to brown. "Nope, I just wanted to show you that I could make your favorites, just healthy-ish."

Rayne watched as Anna heated the dutch oven, and coated the bottom with oil. Then she toasted the crumbles until they were nearly black and added beef stock to wet them, letting that simmer for a minute before adding fresh herbs, a jar of salsa and chopped Mexican cooking chocolate. After the mixture came together, Anna added fresh vegetables, gave a stir, and lidded the pot, setting aside some of the chopped veggies for later. While the chili simmered, she deftly mixed cornbread batter, adding corn, cheese, and pimentos before spooning the mixture into a small pan and smoothing it with the back of the spoon. Then, she mixed the remaining vegetables, added a squeeze of lime, some spices and gave that a stir.

"Is that what I think it is?" Rayne smiled.

"Yep. Wanna taste?" Anna waggled a brow, then removed a bag of tortilla chips from her magic paper sack. She dragged a chip through the salsa she's just made and offered it to her friend.

"Ohhh! That's outrageous! I've almost forgotten how good real salsa tastes." Rayne rubbed her bump and smiled.

After sliding the spoonbread into the oven, Rayne opened a bottle of beer for each of them, and they sipped happily while Anna stirred the chili. Once dinner was ready, they sat down at the kitchen table to eat, Anna pointing at Rayne's belly with a grin on her face.

"Starting to show a lot, aren't you?"

Rayne grins as she patted her stomach. "Yeah, but I'm not even five months yet. I guess because I have such a small frame, I'm going to end up looking like a whale." She grimaced a bit before taking a bite of her dinner. "I bought a bikini to wear this weekend, but now I'm having second thoughts."

Anna lifted a brow and pointed her spoon at Rayne. "Don't you dare. You're gorgeous and there's nothing wrong with that body wearing a bikini! Show the world that you're carrying Baby Hiddles in there and be proud of it. Work it, girlfriend."

Rayne sighed. "I know, it's just... I'm from L.A. and I know what the other women look like, fake parts or not." She shook her head and chuckled dryly. "Right now, I can't compete with that."

Anna looked at her and shook her head. "You're not here to compete with anyone, so don't. One look at you and everyone will know that you're proud of your body and unashamedly confident to rock your bump. Mostly because everybody knows Tom is your guy. Flash that rock, too. Because it means you have the man you want and need."

Rayne snorted and held her beer up to toast with Anna. "Or can handle."

"We're not sweatin' these Los Angeles broads, Rayne. Know why?" Anna sipped her beer and Rayne shrugged.

"Because we aren't here to do anything but mingle, have fun, and chill. All while having exactly zero fucks to give about it."

"Yassss!" Rayne laughed out loud. Anna nodded and winked at her friend, and the two go on to cheerfully finish their supper, chatting and enjoying each other's company.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dinner, she and Anna had eaten churros and watched Netflix, studiously staying away from anything with either Tom or Ben in it, finally settling on a documentary about animals. Later that night, Rayne stirred awake, thinking that she'd heard a noise in the otherwise quiet house. She lay still for a moment, and after a few moments, she was convinced that she hadn't heard anything unusual and began to slowly drift off again. Rayne had a hard time getting to sleep but finally succumbed after tossing and turning for a couple of hours. She was almost back to sleep when she felt an arm come around her waist, startling her awake.

"Anna?"

She heard a masculine chuckle from behind her and a very familiar voice in her ear. "Darling, I know you and Anna are close, but I didn't think that you were cuddle buddies just yet."

She rolled over onto her back and looked up at the smiling face of Tom. "What are you doing here?"

He winked at her as he leaned in for a quick kiss. "I live here... well, at least sometimes. Ben and I got in about half an hour ago. He's probably shagging his wife properly as we speak. I would like to do the same."

Rayne snickered. "You want to shag his wife too? I think I might feel offended." She gave a fake pout and rolled back onto her side facing away from him. "You can leave now."

Tom just chuckled and pulled her closer to his chest, his hand resting on her hip. "You know that I meant I wanted to shag  _my_  wife."

Rayne snorted and batted his hand away, but it came right back, this time his thumb hooking into the side of her panties and sliding them down her thighs. "We are not married, sir. Please unhand me at once."

Rayne gasped as Tom ground a rather impressive hard-on into her as he playfully bit her neck. "I can always tell when you're having a go, darling, because you always start sounding like a Victorian virgin."

He let his hand slide down between her legs and gently ran a finger along her inner thigh. She gasped as he whispered in her ear. "Now, you have two choices, darling. You can lay there and stare up at the ceiling like a Victorian bride and let me have my way with you until I finish or you can feel free to participate. Either way... "

Rayne's snicker ended in a low moan as Tom moved his hand around and down over her behind before slowly sliding a finger deep into her core. "Ohhhh... participation sounds good."

Tom simply nodded against her neck as he lined up behind Rayne, his hand raising her leg just enough to give him room as he sank down into her, both of them moaning softly at the sensation of being joined together. Rayne met him on each thrust, pushing her hips back into Tom as he slowly built the intensity by barely moving at all. Rayne took it for a few more minutes before groaning and squeezing the arm Tom had wrapped around her just below the swell of her breasts, anchoring her to him.

"Tom, please... harder, baby."

Tom moaned against her ear. "I'm trying not to jostle you too much, Ray."

Rayne groaned as she reached behind her and sank her nails into his ass, tugging him closer. Tom made a low guttural growl, and his muscles became more and more taut with each stroke. "I'm pregnant, Tom...not fragile. I need you harder, baby."

He grunted through clenched teeth, gently rolling his hips as he pulled out of her torturously slow and waited for a beat before almost clamping his hands on Rayne, forcefully thrusting into her core, causing both of them to cry out. It took hardly any time at all for both to reach their climax, moments apart from each other. Tom gathered Rayne in his arms and lay still briefly, leaving soft kisses on Rayne's neck while he caught his breath. Then, he rolled to his back with Rayne tumbling into his arms as they lay silently staring into the darkness for a few minutes. Finally, with a contented sigh, Tom reached out and laid a warm, comforting hand on her belly.

"How's our Jasper doing?"

Rayne crinkled her nose in confusion before glancing at his grinning face. "Who is Jasper?"

He patted her bump and chuckled. "The baby. I was just trying the name on for size, darling."

Rayne shook her head and snickered. "Oh. Well,  _Lily_  is doing just fine."

Tom snorted and gave a wily grin. "Good to know." He was quiet for a moment before continuing. "I like Lily."

Rayne grinned up at the ceiling. "I don't hate Jasper."

Tom turned his head to look at her, with a contented smile. "Did we just pick baby names?"

Rayne shrugged a shoulder as she rolled into Tom's side, resting her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat return to normal as his arm slid around to hold her in place. "I don't know. Maybe."


	39. Red, White, And British

 

"Wow."

As she stood on the balcony of their bedroom at Robert's, she felt arms come around her waist and hands come to rest on her stomach. The view in front of her was phenomenal and she sighed in contentment as she leaned back into Tom's embrace and watched the waves roll into the sandy beach below.

"Wow is right. Robert wasn't lying when he said this was one of the nicer views." Tom leaned in and kissed Rayne on the neck. "Happy you came, luv?"

Rayne nodded as she turned her head to receive a kiss from her fiance before breaking out of his hold to walk back inside to their room. The bedroom itself was something to behold as well. Light cream walls with gleaming hardwood floors, it brought a little of nature outside in with varying shades of blues and greens in the pillows and other decorations in the room. "This room is gorgeous as well. Makes me want to redo our house."

Tom chuckled as he followed her inside, sitting in an armchair by the balcony doors and watching as his Rayne busied herself with pulling her bikini and a maxi dress out of her overnight bag. He tried not to stare as she hurriedly shucked off the sundress and underthings she was wearing to don the very small bikini before tying her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head. He was positive that there wasn't a more beautiful woman than his Rayne, at least not to him. He knew that she was self-conscious about her body now that she was showing more, but he also knew that he would never convince her that it just made her more magnificent.

"We can certainly redecorate the house if you like, darling. As a matter of fact, we need to find someone to decorate the nursery when we return to London. I've also got Luke on the task of hiring a wedding planner for us to meet with when we get home. We need to get that particular ball rolling soon."

He watched Rayne shake her head before pulling the maxi dress over her head and straightening it. "I thought we agreed that we wouldn't get married until after the baby was born."

Tom nodded, noticing that the look on Rayne's face had slowly changed from one of contentment to one of frustration. "Of course, luv, but that's just a few months away, and it will take time to plan the wedding that we both want. We just need to start preparations soon."

Rayne nodded as she stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing that would just make things ten times worse. He wasn't sure what was at issue here, but apparently, something wasn't sitting right with his pregnant fiancee.

"I get that you want to get cracking on the wedding plans, and I agree that we do need to ready the nursery, but I don't really think we need help with either of those things. I can handle both."

Tom sighed before rubbing his forehead as he contemplated jumping off the balcony. "Yes, darling, I'm sure you could, but there's simply no need for you to do so. I would much rather hire someone to take that burden from your shoulders. As I've stated before, we have the money, why shouldn't we use some of it to make your life- and mine- easier?"

He watched as Rayne shook her head. "The money isn't the issue, Tom. I  _want_  to do those things myself. Can't you understand that?"

Tom nodded as he stood up, intending to walk over to Rayne, but when she backed up a step, he walked over to look out the open doors of the balcony, trying to rein his temper in. "Yes, Ray, I do understand that, but, simply put, you can't do everything, not in your condition, and for my part, I'd much rather spend time with you relaxing and getting ready for parenthood than spend that time picking out paint colors and furniture."

Rayne gave a slight chuckle before shaking her head. "You're not even going to discuss this, are you? You've already made up your mind."

Tom turned to face her, crossing his arms over his chest as he nodded. "You're right, I have. I'll not let you put yourself or the baby in jeopardy just because you want to be stubborn. I'm sure when you've calmed down a little, that you'll see this is the best way to proceed." Rayne just nodded before muttering something under her breath and turning to the door of the bedroom. "Where are you going?"

"To walk on the beach, maybe take a swim. To  _calm down_."

Tom nodded, walking to the bed and his bag. "Well, let me change and I'll go with you. I really don't think you should go down to the water by yourself."

Rayne wrenched the door open before turning to look at the man behind her. "I'm an adult. I'm sure I can keep myself alive, but I'm not too sure about you if you feel the need to come with me."

Tom just watched as she sailed out of the room, walking to stand in the doorway as his feisty fiance marched down the staircase and out the front door. He shook his head, not realizing that he wasn't alone until a hand came to rest on his shoulder. Tom looked over to see Ben and Anna standing there, staring in the same direction he had been. Finally, Ben turns to look at his friend with a grin.

"What did you do this time?"

Tom grudgingly grinned as Anna slipped an arm around his waist. "I stupidly thought I would make things easier for Rayne. It obviously went sideways."

Anna chuckled before starting down the stairs herself. "I'll talk to her later."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rayne didn't stop until her feet touched the warm sand. She plopped down on the beach and stared out at the waves that were rolling in, feeling as if they mirrored the emotions churned up inside of herself. She understood where Tom was coming from, she really did, but Rayne felt that he was just throwing away her side of things arbitrarily. She was so focused on her inner dialogue that she didn't register the fact that she was no longer alone until she heard a throat clear from her side. 

"You look like you're ready to bite a nail in two. Who do I have to kill?"

Rayne grinned to spite herself as Jeff sat down beside her. "Nobody, I suppose, but I wouldn't mind if you punched Tom in the face for me."

Jeff winced, making Rayne chuckle as he shook his head quickly. "Not the face. Never the face. That thing is a money maker, sweetheart." He nudged her with his shoulder as they watched the surf. "What did T-Hiddy do this time?"

Rayne sighed and told him what had just gone down, adding her reasons for wanting things to be done differently. She finally shrugged. "He wouldn't even hear me, Jeff."

Jeff nodded understandingly before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Look, I can only give you my insight from the guy's perspective. I completely understand both sides, but sweetheart, Tom's right. You don't need to be dealing with the wedding prep, not right now, and if you two are wanting to marry as soon as Junior is done baking, then you're gonna have to bend on that one a little."

Rayne blew out a breath before nodding. "I know, and you're right, but dammit... if he would just talk to me instead of making a royal decree, we wouldn't have these problems."

Jeff snickered and nodded. "Yeah, he needs to work on those communication skills." His phone pinged and he looked down at it before grimacing and standing up. "The wife is looking for me. I gotta go." He grinned at her before leaning down to kiss her on the head. "You good here by yourself?"

Rayne nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm just gonna watch the surf a little longer. Thanks for talking to me."

Jeff winked as he turned to go back to the house. "No problem, kiddo. You two are  my favorite couple."

Rayne sat for a while watching the water and thinking before she saw a familiar figure walking across the beach toward her. She smiled as her best friend plopped down in the sand beside her.

"Damn, this is a nice view! Maybe we should talk Robert into adopting us." Rayne laughed at Anna before falling back onto her back. "Girlfriend, you're going to get sand all in your hair."

Rayne shrugged as she stared up at the sky. "I don't care. I'll wash it out later."

Suddenly, her view of the clouds is blocked by a mass of black hair and her friend's curious face. "Ok, wanna tell me what Hiddles did this time?"

Rayne sighed and shook her head. "Nothing, I suppose. He was just trying to help, but... "

Anna grinned as she sat back in her original position beside Rayne. "There's that famous "but" of yours." She patted Rayne on the leg. "Tom told us what went down. I honestly don't think he meant anything by it, sweet pea. He really was just trying to make things easier for you."

Rayne nodded as she sat up beside her friend. "I know, and I probably blew it out of proportion, but... I'm not used to being at this level, economically."

Anna snorted and shook her head. "Uh, I hate to break it to you, sweetie, but you're doing pretty good in your own right."

Rayne stuck her tongue out at Anna. "I know that. Geez. That's not what I meant. I only meant that it would never occur to me to hire someone to do everyday things."

"Well, it wouldn't occur to Tom either, except here he is with a pregnant wife-to-be who doesn't know the meaning of the word relax. He's just trying to keep your stress level down for the baby's sake, and yours as well. So... let him, maybe." Anna shrugged.

Rayne blew out a breath before nodding. "Yeah, I can see that. I'm not exactly easy to get along with on a good day. Ok, he can have his way... this time."

Anna just shook her head and laughed at her friend as she stood up then helped Rayne up from the sand. It was time to go find their men.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once back inside the house, the girls went in search of the guys, finding them in the kitchen talking to Robert and Susan. Tom looked up as the girls came into the room, giving Rayne a small smile as the two women joined them. Robert moved to get up from the table so that Rayne could sit, but she smiled and shook her head as she pointed a finger at Tom.

"No, thank you. I'm actually going to steal this one if it's ok with everyone."

Tom stood up as Susan laughed. "You don't have to ask to steal your man. We'll see you both at dinner though. We have plans to fatten you up, Rayne."

Rayne just chuckled as Tom agreed that they would indeed be back for dinner. Neither of the two spoke until they were upstairs in their bedroom with the door shut. As Rayne walked over to look out at the ocean and get her thoughts together, Tom stopped in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets with an unsure look on his face.

"Darling, I believe I might have been... "

Rayne held up a hand to stop him and he looked at her with that infernal brow raised as he waited for her to start. She took a deep breath, rubbing her belly as she sat down in the armchair by the balcony doors.

"Are you open to negotiations?"

Tom bit back the smile that wanted to come out, instead nodding and keeping a serious look on his face. "Of course, Ray, always."

She nodded too and bit her lip before continuing in a quiet voice. "I'm willing to give you the wedding planner, but not the nursery."

Tom nodded slowly as he stepped over to the side of the bed closest to Rayne and seated himself, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "May I ask why? Honestly, darling - I just think it may be too much for you to take on with everything else."

Rayne shook her head. "That's not the point, Tom. Look, this is our first child. He or she may not be the last, but they're our first. I want  _us_  to decorate the nursery, together. It won't be too much if you're there helping me paint and pick out furniture and clothes."

Tom looked down at his shoes, trying to hold in the emotion that her words had brought out in him. She was completely right. They  _should_ be the ones to handle their child's first room. He couldn't think of anything he'd rather do than be there with Rayne, picking out furniture and onesies. Finally, he nodded as he brought his eyes back up to meet hers.

"Actually... when you look at things from that angle - I'd have to say that I completely agree, darling. I'm sorry that it hadn't occurred to me much sooner. I was so busy trying to make things easier that I never realized that this is absolutely something we should do. I do, however, have one condition that I would like to add." He waited for her to look up before continuing. "I would like for you to allow me to hire the decorator to handle Naomi's flat above the store and help with the store design. This will free up a bit of your time, which is going to be very precious all too soon."

He watched as Rayne thought it over before blowing out a breath of resignation. He grinned when she finally nodded. "I can agree to that."

Tom gave her a rakish smile and held out a hand to her. "Wonderful, darling. Now, come kiss me, won't you? It's been hours since we last kissed."

Rayne snickered as Tom pulled her out of the chair and into his lap. "You're such a dork sometimes."

Tom shrugged as he wrapped his arms around his lady. "Well, yeah, but you knew that going in. It's a little late now for complaining."


	40. The Rockets Red Glare

 

With eyes still closed, Rayne stretched contentedly as she heard the bedroom door softly open then close. She wasn't sure if Tom was coming or going until she felt the mattress dip and an arm come around her. She almost purred as she felt his lips on her neck... that is until the stench hit her nose. She wrinkled said nose and pushed on the arm anchoring her to her smelly man.

"Jesus Christ, Tom, you smell fucking foul! Get off me, man!"

She heard Tom snicker from right beside her ear as he gently bit her lobe. "Come on, luv. I can't smell that bad. I just went for a run on the beach."

Rayne shook her head, still trying to get away from the octopus that was entrapping her. "Yes, you  _can_  smell that bad. It's a combo of salt water, sweat... and I don't know what else. It's just general grossness. Go shower, babe."

Tom kissed her on the neck and ran a hand under the tank top she had slept in to cup her breast, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I was thinking more along the lines of that huge tub. We really should try it out, don't you think? Since we leave this evening, why not have a little more fun before we go?"

Even though her nose was still being assaulted by the damp, musky smell of Tom, Rayne had to admit -  _if only to herself_  - that she could feel herself starting to get wet, which got her thinking that a soak in the tub with her man actually sounded pretty good. "I could be persuaded." She patted him on the hand that was still securely wrapped around her breast. " _If_  you go take a quick shower first."

Tom chuckled as he bit down gently on a particularly sensitive part of her neck, immediately soothing the sting with his tongue. "I could do that. Give me ten minutes, luv."

As he untangled himself from Rayne, she nodded and snuggled back into the covers. She vaguely heard the shower start up in the en-suite as she lay there, eyes closed and brain working. She wondered - not for the first time- how she came to be here. Not physically because she knew how that happened, but metaphorically. How did she end up with this wonderful man? How was it that fate looked at her and decided, yes, you deserve that one?

She heard the shower turn off and felt the bed dip again as Tom returned to his spot, now slightly damp but smelling a lot better. She rolled over, looking Tom in the eye as he loomed over her, resting his weight on one arm as the other rubbed her growing belly. She reached out to stroke her fingers over his cheek, letting them drag through his beard for a moment as she grinned up at him. "Do you know how much I love you?"

Rayne watched as Tom smiled down at her, and not just his normal smile, but a blindingly brilliant one. It never ceased to amaze her that he could look at her as if she hung the moon when really that was his job. "Of course, darling. You show me every day, and I love you just as much."

Rayne shook her head in denial as his hand continued to lovingly caress her belly. "I don't though. That's just it. Sometimes I get so mired in the every day that it feels like I forget to tell you how incredibly blessed I feel that you picked me to share your life with."

Tom looked away for a moment, deep in thought. Rayne can tell by his expression that what she'd just said had really hit home for him. Finally, he looked back at her and shook his head slowly, a wistful expression on his face. "I don't feel as though I've picked you or you've picked me, Ray. I think that there was some kind of divine intervention; almost as if someone looked down and said: "Those two. They belong together." He shrugged, grinning at her. "How could I possibly argue with divine inspiration?" He leaned down for a soft kiss before he continued. "And I have to disagree with you. You  _do_  show me every day. Every time you smile at me, whenever you hold my hand or snuggle up to me, and especially when you allow me the privilege of worshipping your body... " He rubbed slow, loving circles on her bump. " _This_ shows me.  _You_  are my miracle made flesh, and our child is the blessing our love created, Rayne."

Rayne blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall as she reached around and tugged on Tom's hair to pull him down into a kiss. After ending the kiss with a nip to his bottom lip, she grinned up at him. "Enough of this gooey stuff. You said something about a bath?"

Tom chuckled as he stole one more kiss before jumping out of bed and holding a hand out to Rayne. "Whatever m'lady desires."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later, Rayne walked into the house and sighed in relief at the immediate drop in temperature. She'd been outside watching Tom and Ben play ping pong against Robert and Mark, but the sun had become a little too much to handle in her present condition. So, although she was enjoying ogling Tom in his muscle shirt and basketball shorts as his leg and arm muscles flexed with each swipe of the paddle, she was definitely in search of a spot to rest up and something cool to drink. She smiled when she saw Anna sauntering across the room, holding two frosty glasses.

Anna stopped beside Rayne to offer her a glass of what Rayne could now see was freshly squeezed lemonade then, circled an arm around her shoulders. "How're you holding up, little mama? You look frazzled."

Rayne gratefully accepted the glass from Anna as she fans herself with her free hand. "Ooof, I am broiling." Rayne pressed the glass against her cheek and sighed. "I don't know if it's really hot as I think it is, or if junior is causing me a few hormonal issues. Either way, it's sweltering hot out there."

"C'mon..." Anna chuckled as she nodded in the direction of the living room. "I just happen to know that the living room is gloriously cool, so why don't we go sit a spell?" At Rayne's grateful nod, she grinned. "Besides, there's someone I want you to meet. He's an old friend of mine. I was shocked to see him and his daughter here of all places."

When they walked into the large room, Rayne's eyes were immediately drawn to the corner by the huge sliding glass doors. There, sitting at a gorgeous baby grand piano, was Jamie Foxx. She looked at Anna with shocked eyes as her friend just shrugged, nodded, and proceeded to giggle like a schoolgirl. Rayne just chuckled and shook her head as they made their way over to where the actor/singer was playing a slow melody. Jamie stood up to greet the two women as they reached him. He gave Rayne a light hug before pointing to one of the couches facing the piano.

"You must be Rayne. Baby, you look like you're about to pop! Have a seat and take a load off."

Rayne laughed, then sat down and rubbed her belly. "Yeah, I still have a few months to go. It just got a little too warm outside for me."

Jamie nodded in understanding as he took his seat back at the piano, scooting over so Anna could sit next to him. "Well, you just relax and let me entertain you for a bit, ok?"

Rayne sat and watched as Jamie and Anna talked and laughed, singing a few short songs together before she saw Anna lean over and whisper something in Jamie's ear, giggling as she pointed a finger at Rayne. Jamie grinned before throwing a wink in Rayne's direction. Unbeknownst to the trio gathered around the piano, they were being watched from the doorway.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom and Ben had won their match against their friends and had come inside in search of water and their women. After stopping in the kitchen to grab ice cold bottles of water, they strolled through the house looking for any sign of Anna and Rayne. Tom had been a little worried about how red Rayne's face had been and wanted to check to make sure she was alright. When they entered the living room, they both stopped short as they sighted their ladies laughing uproariously at something the man at the piano had said.

Tom was relieved to see that Rayne had recovered from the heat quickly enough as Ben tilted his head slightly toward the trio. "I didn't know Jamie was going to be here this weekend. That must have been a lovely surprise for my darling girl. They've known each other for years."

Tom nodded as Jamie started to play a slow melody on the piano, but his eyes widened when the man began to sing -  _to Rayne_. That fact in itself wouldn't have bothered him, but as he listened to the song Jamie was singing, he felt himself getting a little red-faced.

_♪_ _Got nothing but my t-shirt and boxers on_ _♪_

_♪_ _Waiting for you to get home_ _♪_

_♪_ _It's been sunny outside all day baby_ _♪_

_♪_ _I can't wait for it to storm..._ _♪_

Tom tried hard to not let it get to him, but the sincere way Jamie was looking at Rayne, and the way she seemed to be soaking up the attention made his head hurt.

_♪_ _Wanna feel your raindrops fallin' down all on me_ _♪_

_♪_ _That thunder from down under surrounding me_ _♪_

_♪_ _Coming down hard pounding me..._ _♪_

Tom heard Ben chuckling quietly as he laid a hand on Tom's shoulder. "Now, I know that look, and no, you can't charge in there and throttle him. We're in L.A., Tom. He's just being friendly."

Tom shook his head as he glared at his friend. " _That_  is not being friendly, mate.  _That_ is flirting with my fiance and the mother of my child." Tom pointed at Rayne, casting a slightly accusing look in her direction as well. "And look at her... she is soaking up the attention."

Ben shook his head at Tom's petulant expression. "Calm down, man. It's just a bit of harmless flirting. Besides, wasn't that you just a few moments ago blathering to Robert, Mark and a few other people within earshot on the benefits of that soaker tub upstairs and your girl's seemingly limitless libido?"

Tom grinned despite the green-eyed jealousy still coursing through his veins. "Yeah, uhhh... she is quite the tigress right now. Must be down to all those pregnancy hormones."

Ben shrugged. "Well then, I rather doubt you have anything to worry about on that score."

Tom breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that his best friend was actually right. He had absolutely nothing to fear, and he was glad Ben was here to talk him down. Even still, his mood lightened considerably once the song ended and Jamie moved on to another song,  _Unpredictable_ , this time for Anna.

_♪Yeah, ladies, I know you tired of the same old thing♪_ __  
_♪Things have become so mundane♪_ __  
_♪I mean your bedroom is just so cold, it's so cold, but I'm here to tell you♪_ _  
_ _♪I got a strategy we 'bout to heat it up...♪_

"I like that!" Anna giggled.

_♪OHHH!♪_

Tom heard a strangling noise coming from Ben before his friend cleared his throat. Tom looked at him with his head canted to the side, silently asking the question as Ben turned slightly red in the face.

"That's uhhh... on our playlist."

Tom scratched his head and looked confused. "What playlist?"

Ben cleared his throat again. "Our  _sexy time_  playlist." Ben used air quotes. "You know, for... "

"Oh." Tom's eyes widened. " _OH_!"

He thought to himself that perhaps he and Rayne needed a playlist as he watched Ben's eyes narrow into slits and his face become even redder - this time with anger. Tom smirked and bit the inside of his jaw to keep from laughing out loud.

_♪Baby, one plus one ain't two when you with me♪_ __  
_♪C ain't after A and B when you with me♪_ __  
_♪It don't make sense right now but it will♪_ _  
_ _♪Later on when you see how I make you feel...♪_

"Is he seriously flirting with Anna now?" Ben shook his head as Tom looked on. "It was one thing to flirt with a woman he's just met, but  _my wife_? Fucking hell, Foxx!"

Tom couldn't hold back his snickering any longer but placed a knowing hand on Ben's shoulder as his friend had done for him earlier. "Mate, it's harmless. Isn't that what you told me? It's no different with Anna."

Ben turned and gave Tom a slightly relieved smile before heading into the living room. "Well, just to be sure, why don't we go reclaim our womenfolk then, hmm?"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, everyone was gathered on the beach to watch the fireworks display that Robert had planned. Rayne sat on the soft sand in front of Tom, leaning back into his chest with his legs on either side of her. She sighed, thinking that she couldn't remember when she'd had a more relaxing weekend. She was almost sorry to see it end, but she was excited to get home and start planning the nursery.

Robert approached the gathering to begin thanking everyone for coming to spend the holiday with him and his family; which allowed Rayne to relax again as cheers went up and fireworks lit up the sky. At one point during the spectacular array, she turned to Tom and grinned at him.

"Something just occurred to me. Why are you here? Brits don't even celebrate The 4th."

Tom chuckled as he kissed her on the nose. "No, Ray - you're right, we don't. It is a singularly American holiday." He looked down into her laughing eyes. Tom's heart nearly skipped a beat when he saw the almost childlike joy on Rayne's face as the fireworks whistled into the air, boomed and blossomed into brilliant cascades of sparks over the ocean. "But you're here, darling. Where else on earth would I want to be?" 

He shrugged, then lifted his eyes skyward to take in the brilliant display above them in the night sky. 


End file.
